#mellarisofficial

In an era where endless scrolling has become my form of daily exercise and checking likes is my only interaction with solving a maths problem- I’m not alone when sharing that social media becomes a rabbit hole for self comparisons and body envy. Yet in the wake of this, there has been an increasing rise in inspirational posts from models and celebrities alike sharing the reality of their lives beyond the glamour of the red carpet. So I want to share with you my top 5 inspiring women who embrace individuality, are unapologetically confident and show off how their imperfections are perfect.

Winnie Harlow

With only 2% of the population worldwide affected with vitiligo, the 24 year old model and spokes person on the skin condition is redefining beauty standards. Having suffered from bullying throughout her life, due to the appearance of her skin, Winnie has bounced back from haters by stating it’s her own self-belief she finds most empowering and not the uniqueness of her skin. From numerous campaigns with Diesel, to being blessed with her Victoria’s Secret wings, Winnie shows time and time again that confidence comes from within and how to utilise your individuality as your super-power.

Jameela Jamil

If there was ever to be a a gold medal for best use of social media, Jameela would have them all! Actress, presenter and activist, Jameela Jamil has launched @i_weigh, a brand new social platform that encourages its followers to value your worth internally, instead of externally. Not only is this an amazing mental exercise but an important reminder “To feel valuable and see how amazing we are, and look beyond the flesh on our bones.” Both @i_weigh and her personal account are an amazing follow for a confidence boost, relatability and a laugh, trust me. 

Chrissy Teigen

Queen of twitter and Mother of two, Chrissy Teigen’s honesty has proven a recipe for success amongst her fans as she navigates through motherhood and a full-time career. Both fiercely unapologetic and witty, Teigen’s sense of humour and transparency online from her breast feeding posts to showing off her stretch marks, are fantastically real and inspiring. Proving once again, confidence is a true form of beauty.

Halima Aden

As the world’s first hijabi wearing model, Halima Aden is crushing it when it comes to redefining beauty standards and is therefore, a true modern icon. Halima has established herself as a fantastic role model, in particular for Muslim women, as she advocates for modest fashion and conforms to her own ideas and standards of beauty, instead of what the Western modelling industry wanted her to abide by. Yet, what Halima’s status has really taught myself, women and girls around the world is to not conform to other people’s standards. Most importantly, follow what you believe in. 

Tulle and feathers and pastels- Oh my! Once again Couture Week leaves us dazzled by craftsmanship and elegance, yet it was the refreshing colour palettes that steer way from traditional autumnal tones that inspired us most this season. The term ‘Couture’ itself breathes an exotic air that knowingly transports us to a realm of fantasy, however what exactly does it mean to establish a Couture collection? 

In 1868 the Fédération Française de la Couture founded the origin of ‘Haute Couture’, later be legally registered as the origin in 1945, is the acting headquarters for this breed of French fashion. 

As a legally protected term, fashion houses are therefore approved annually by the organisation which determines if a house can be Haute or not. The then chosen “Happy few” coined said by president of fashion at Chanel, Bruno Pavlovsky, must play by the rules to maintain the archaic title. This includes hosting a Parisian workroom with a minimum of 20 employees, as well as this each fashion house must produce a minimum of 25 outfits per season, which occurs in January and July. 

A brief insight into the long history of Haute Couture can only deepen our appreciation of this presentation of Parisian artisan that graced us once again earlier this July. From the extraordinary elegance from Ralph & Russo, to the boldly beautiful tones and textures from Valentino, here is our round up of the best collections at Autumn/Winter Couture Week 2019.

Valentino

Creative director, Pierpaolo Piccioli, continued to reach new heights in his latest display of Couture, embellishing his gowns with feathers, pom poms and luxurious yarns. A spectacle of rich colour and desirable textures ensured “That every single look was different”, stated Piccioli in a preview of the show, allowing him to expand on his continuous study that Haute Couture is a metaphor for human diversity. His Haute Couture philosophy has quickly allowed the designer to develop a memorable aesthetic which is maturing as a timeless signature with every collection. A particular favourite is the dazzling yellow dress, complete with a fantastic layered yarn trim- transforming the spirit of a summertime dress into an elevated autumnal gown.

Fendi

As this collection payed homage to Roman mosaics and ancient marble flooring, it was through the late creative director, Karl Lagerfelds, spectacular eye and love for Rome that inspired the A/W 2019 show. As 54 looks graced the catwalk, one for each year Lagerfeld served at the house, Silvia Venturini Fendi noted the collection came full circle when a book gifted to her by Lagerfeld played crucial a part in inspiring her visual narrative. Geometrical shapes and patterns were woven throughout the collection appearing amongst glamorous tailoring which smoothly translated into spectacular evening wear as the collection concluded on show stopping ballgowns. 

Ralph & Russo

Tulle, chiffon, organza and feathers are just a few of the reasons why we are left breathless at the craftsmanship presented at Ralph and Russo this season. Directly inspired by the Art Deco movement, their iconic fantasy gowns were fascinatingly confronted by masculine counterparts which created a new dynamic for the brands aesthetic. Whilst the collection may not end with a show stopper or an elaborate bridal gown, I personally find it’s because a little piece of spectacular is stitched into every article of clothing- needless to say we cannot be spoilt any further!

Givenchy

Creative director for Givenchy, Clare Waight Keller, explained after the show “It’s the idea of this beautiful, lost chateau where an anarchic spirit comes through”, which was perfectly translated through her ateliers process that went “From clinical laboratory to the playground of a mad scientist” said Vogue. This eccentric and electric narrative was evident through silhouette, from skirts shaped like lampshades to embellishments resembling interior decoration. An erratic yet successful storyline for Couture definitely landed Givenchy as one of the most memorable this season.

Schiaparelli

Daniel Roseburry presented to us this season his debut show for the Schiaparelli fashion house. Having come from Thom Browne we already had an inkling there would be a flare for theatrics and tailoring. Roseberry commenced the show by seating himself both at a sketching table and in the centre spotlight. All surrealist origins considered, if there was ever a place where Haute Couture and art were to be at harmony it’s at this fashion house. As expected, reconstructed tailoring was warmly welcomed on the catwalk, as well as the theme for deconstruction which was embodied through silhouette and unique embellishment. Bold colours juxtaposed the often more ‘edgy’ and dark aspects of the collection, leaving me reminiscent of flamboyant, tropical birds. Whilst it appeared Roseberry spliced together two different collections, it’s through this madness that the designer invites you to see the nativity of an artists mind- instilled in us from the beginning when the designer took to his desk, pen and paper in hand, almost in a child-like manner.  

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When you think of women’s workwear, it’s obvious to immediately think of classic pieces such as a suit or a dress. However, that has not always been the case! We have come very far in terms of what women are able to wear during work and daily life, to the point where we can have such a diverse wardrobe of garments right at their finger tips! In the Mellaris office we have been talking about the history of women’s workwear as well as how the trouser, which was once seen as something that only men could wear, has become a staple in everyone’s wardrobe.

During WWII, as men went off to fight, women became the forefront of manual labour. As new job opportunities grew, such as working in weapon factories, so did the demand for new uniforms tailored to the needs of a new customer - the woman. The traditional wear for a woman, including dresses and skirts, was no longer appropriate for manual activities and so their new found wardrobe included pants.  Women during the war were able to wear overalls or separates and women working in the office were able to wear the utility suit (victory suit in the US.) It also became the fashion where women were also able to ‘dress-up’ their suits if they were going out to dinner or to the theatre.

The Chanel Suit:

One of the most iconic designer of all time was considerably inspired by men’s clothing and therefore championed a more androgynous look was, Gabrielle Chanel. The notable Chanel suit was crafted in 1925, allowing more movement the suit catered to ‘daring’ women who no longer wishes to be constrained by the traditional garments of the time and so suited their more active and lavish lifestyles. Even though women weren’t necessarily wearing this particular suit to work, it was still vastly different from the attire that had been so popular before and starting point for masculine/tailoring inspired garments becoming fashionable for women.

Women like Marlene Dietrich, Katharine Hepburn and Josephine Baker were some of the most well-known women who were wearing trousers as a bold statement. Suits for women was so different for its time that these stars were often viewed as daring and shocking for favouring such attire. Marlene Dietrick, in particular, was infamous for her masculine style and noted now completely ahead of her time for appreciating the iconic power a woman in a suit possesses.

'Le Smoking'

In 1966, the designer Yves Saint Laurent created the ‘Le Smoking’ look; a tuxedo that is typically associated with masculinity. The striking affect of the ‘Le Smoking' tuxedo style continues to have a timeless impact on fashion designers, as even today collections still pull reference from it. Although, originally the suit was not a hit, it became more popular during the 70’s when power dressing evolved into a trendy staple look.

Power Dressing:

During the 1970/80’s, women began wearing trousers as a not only a fashion statement but a statement for equality.  As power dressing became the ‘it’ look of the time, as more and more women were entering working environments, suits and pant suits really became a staple within every woman’s wardrobe. The suits that were available for women were designed to incorporate masculine elements to them, such as a boxy fit and shoulder pads to mimic the male silhouette, allowed women to enhance their assertiveness and authority in the work place and enabled men to accept them as equals. This trend was particularly fed to the masses through media outlets and in particular on TV shows like Dallas and Dynasty.

In today’s society, it’s more likely you’ll see the working woman choosing to wear what she wants! As the modern woman’s style continues to grow and welcome our individuality, the new dress code equals confidence. We’re all out here dressing for ourselves, whether that means comfort shoe Wednesday’s or wearing your brand new self-confidence boosting blazer, we love that we are all doing our own thing!