Quadrophenia
Quadrophenia is a cult classic British coming-of-age film,
following story of the protagonist, Jimmy Cooper. Set in 1965, the central
theme of the film is the ongoing rivalry between two alternative subcultures:
the mods and the rockers. The conflict between these two style-tribes is
exemplified on many occasions throughout the film - culminating in the weekend
at Brighton where a mass melee ensues, predominantly on Brighton beach, but
also spreading through other parts of the seaside town.
In this film costume is an essential method of characterization, and most of the clothes were supplied by ex-mods Roger Burton and Jack English, which gave the wardrobe raw authenticity. Jimmy's various looks mark his different psychological states throughout the film: at first he appears in smart, clean outfits compromised of brands typically worn by mods, such as Fred Perry and Ben Sherman shirts, Levi jeans, and of course the iconic parka. However, as the film progresses Jimmy begins to look more dishevelled, until he returns to Brighton wearing his tailor-made burgundy suit. This suit is symbolic of his dedication to the mod culture, having had it specially made for the initial weekend at Brighton. In this final look, eyeliner is also used to frame Jimmy's eyes in a way that exagerrates his drug-induced madness and deteriorating psychological state.
The final scene where Jimmy drives the stolen scooter off of the cliff is arguably one of the most iconic moments of the film. It shows Jimmy physically destroying the mod culture and abandoning his disillusionment, as he comes to realise that mod itself is superficial and even Ace Face, the "super-mod" cannot truly rebel against the status quo, as it simply isn't a practical way of living in a consumerist society.
In this film costume is an essential method of characterization, and most of the clothes were supplied by ex-mods Roger Burton and Jack English, which gave the wardrobe raw authenticity. Jimmy's various looks mark his different psychological states throughout the film: at first he appears in smart, clean outfits compromised of brands typically worn by mods, such as Fred Perry and Ben Sherman shirts, Levi jeans, and of course the iconic parka. However, as the film progresses Jimmy begins to look more dishevelled, until he returns to Brighton wearing his tailor-made burgundy suit. This suit is symbolic of his dedication to the mod culture, having had it specially made for the initial weekend at Brighton. In this final look, eyeliner is also used to frame Jimmy's eyes in a way that exagerrates his drug-induced madness and deteriorating psychological state.
The final scene where Jimmy drives the stolen scooter off of the cliff is arguably one of the most iconic moments of the film. It shows Jimmy physically destroying the mod culture and abandoning his disillusionment, as he comes to realise that mod itself is superficial and even Ace Face, the "super-mod" cannot truly rebel against the status quo, as it simply isn't a practical way of living in a consumerist society.
Grey Gardens
Filmed in 1975, Grey
Gardens is an American documentary depicting the lives of mother and daughter
duo, both named Edith Beale, but more commonly referred to as "Big
Edie" and "Little Edie." Prior to filming they were known as
former aristocrats with close relation to Jackie Kennedy Onassis, however after
the release of the documentary they achieved stardom in their own right.
Although Grey Gardens is often
considered to be quite comical, it is also extremely raw and hauntingly
realistic. The two protagonists are iconic because of their eccentricities, and
their personalities resonate with the audience on a highly relatable note.
One of the most poignant moments of the documentary is when Little Edie is redecorating one of Grey Gardens' many rooms, and she tells the Maysles brothers that she plans to hang a birdcage next to a red travel poster with "Around the World" emblazoned on it. The juxtaposition of these two objects is so significant, as it represents Little Edie's unrealised dreams and unfulfilled life, which is a recurring motif throughout the documentary. With such lack of adventure, Little Edie is essentially the bird trapped in the birdcage - her cage being Grey Gardens itself.
Little Edie's bohemian style and "revolutionary costume" is recognized as being iconic within the world of fashion. Her sheer creativity with making outfits from scarves, tablecloths and curtains has been cited as a source of inspiration for many fashion designers, for example John Galliano whose entire SS 2008 collection paid homage to Little Edie, as his models walked down the runway in one piece bathing suits, over-sized fur coats and turbans fashioned from jumpers and cardigans, fastened with large vintage brooches. Her quirky style also inspired a Grey Gardens photo shoot by Stephen Meisel for Vogue Italia in May 1999, but although her style is unconventional it constantly retains a level of practicality, as she explains in the opening scene of the documentary.
One of the most poignant moments of the documentary is when Little Edie is redecorating one of Grey Gardens' many rooms, and she tells the Maysles brothers that she plans to hang a birdcage next to a red travel poster with "Around the World" emblazoned on it. The juxtaposition of these two objects is so significant, as it represents Little Edie's unrealised dreams and unfulfilled life, which is a recurring motif throughout the documentary. With such lack of adventure, Little Edie is essentially the bird trapped in the birdcage - her cage being Grey Gardens itself.
Little Edie's bohemian style and "revolutionary costume" is recognized as being iconic within the world of fashion. Her sheer creativity with making outfits from scarves, tablecloths and curtains has been cited as a source of inspiration for many fashion designers, for example John Galliano whose entire SS 2008 collection paid homage to Little Edie, as his models walked down the runway in one piece bathing suits, over-sized fur coats and turbans fashioned from jumpers and cardigans, fastened with large vintage brooches. Her quirky style also inspired a Grey Gardens photo shoot by Stephen Meisel for Vogue Italia in May 1999, but although her style is unconventional it constantly retains a level of practicality, as she explains in the opening scene of the documentary.
Moodboard
Our other task was to create a moodboard, reflecting our aspirations and showing the things we would like to achieve in the next five years. This is my moodboard:
I have included pictures of works by my favourite makeup artists and main sources of inspiration: Kabuki Starshine, Alex Box, Val Garland and Pat McGrath. I love creating avant-garde looks - each of these artists have inspired me in their own ways, and I would absolutely love to be able to work with them one day.
I have also included images of i-D and Vogue Italia, as it is a dream of mine to have my work featured in these magazines. I feel as though Vogue Italia is the worlds most fashion-forward magazine, they always publish very experimental features with stunning imagery. I love that there are no boundaries, and to me Vogue Italia always seems to be a step ahead of the fashion world. I would also love to have my work featured in i-D as I love the magazine's fanzine roots and it's heavy focus on street style which I believe it still retains today.
I have also included two pictures of Boy George, one from the early 80's and one from a recent photoshoot for ZOO Fashion magazine as part of a collaboration with Jean Paul Gaultier. To me, Boy George is the ultimate 80's icon: I am constantly inspired by him and the way his style never stops evolving, and I would absolutely love to be able to work with him one day. The 80's Club Kid and New Romantic scene is extremely important to me, as the era itself is something I can really relate to and connect with on a creative level, and I feel as though the essence and attitude of that time is still so relevant today.
I have used pictures of Vivienne Westwood and Lady Gaga as they are another two people I aspire to work with. Vivienne Westwood has been a huge influence on me from a very young age, I adore her work and I think she is extremely creative and talented, but I also love her ethic and attitude towards the fashion industry. Her career has completely revolutionized the world of fashion, and she achieved iconic status through sheer determination, hard work, and never letting anybody stop her from doing what she loved regardless of how outrageous people thought her ideas were. Vivienne Westwood is still a huge inspiration to me and a constant reminder to keep going and to keep doing what I love, and I hope that one day I can be as successful as her. Lady Gaga also shares many of these qualities, and I believe that since her breakthrough in the music industry she has been extremely influential within the world of fashion. Her outfits consistently break boundaries, she always does something that has never been done before and I really admire that.
Finally, I have included the Climate Revolution badge. Climate Revolution is an active movement started in order to combat Climate change and promote human and animal rights. I believe that the human race can still save the planet and although it may be a slightly unrealistic time-frame, in 5 years time I hope to see a positive change in the world.
Group Activity
We were also asked to get into groups and explain our mood boards to each other, and I worked with the following people:
Naomi Parsons: Naomi's mood board focused mainly on fashion and beauty. Her goal is to release her own beauty product and to work in the editorial side of the industry. She already has experience in the industry and has worked directly with brands such as Chanel, Bobbi Brown and Bare Minerals.
Tina Pun: Tina would love to work with artists such as Alex Box and Lan Nguyen, and her main inspiration is Nepalese designer Prabal Gurung. She aims to be more experimental with her work and has an extensive list of places she would like to travel, including Paris, New York and Australia. She wants to meet new people and is an experienced hairdresser.
Toby Oldfield: Toby's aspiration is to be a makeup artist for music videos for heavy metal bands such as Slipknot. He enjoys experimenting with the theatrical side of makeup and has had experience working in theatre productions as part of a Special Effects team, primarily focusing on gore and wound prosthetics. He has had experience with acting and would now like to get into the music industry.
Toby Oldfield: Toby's aspiration is to be a makeup artist for music videos for heavy metal bands such as Slipknot. He enjoys experimenting with the theatrical side of makeup and has had experience working in theatre productions as part of a Special Effects team, primarily focusing on gore and wound prosthetics. He has had experience with acting and would now like to get into the music industry.
Greta Baranauskaite: Greta has already had experience in the industry, she has worked on photoshoots and worked with Makeup Forever for five months. She is often inspired by the looks she sees on the TV show America's Next Top Model and especially loves the transformational aspect. At university she aims to develop her skills and would eventually like to open her own makeup studio.
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