The Contemporary Elizabethans

After finding my Elizabethan portrait for this project, I began to look for an image that conveys Elizabethan style but in a more contemporary way. Over the past few years Elizabethan style has been recurring within the fashion world, constantly being adapted to fit a more modern audience.

Initially I immediately thought of Vivienne Westwood, because to me she is the modern equivalent of Queen Elizabeth. Her look is modeled on Elizabeth, she has combined punk with history to create an entirely unique style. Throughout her career she has often been inspired by the Elizabethans, and clear references to the era can be seen in most of her catwalk shows.

Vivienne Westwood shot by Tim Walker

Queen Elizabeth's iconic look has also been referenced in recent films, for example Tim Burton's 2010 Alice in Wonderland, where the character of The Queen of Hearts (played by Helena Bonham Carter) had a very Elizabethan-inspired wardrobe.

Still from Alice in Wonderland (2010)

The pale face and bright red hair exudes the classic Elizabethan beauty ideals, and the high, white collar on the dress is almost reminiscent of a ruff. The eye makeup gives more of a 1920's vibe, with the thin semi-circular eyebrows, however the red lipstick can also be considered to be a reflection of Elizabethan beauty trends. In this particular costume the heart shape is a recurring motif, predominantly because the character is the Queen of Hearts, however the heart shape was also very popular within Elizabethan hair and fashion.

Helena Bonham Carter shot by Tim Walker

Above is another image of Helena Bonham Carter in Elizabethan-inspired costume, shot by fashion photographer Tim Walker. This definitely has more of a contemporary twist, such as the inclusion of the Coke can and the sunglasses, but the Elizabethan essence is still highly prominent and can be seen with the inclusion of the pearls, the crown and the orb. The makeup in this image is also very Elizabethan: a pale complexion with a red lip and red cheeks. I love Tim Walkers work - it tends to be very whimsical and romantic and he often finds inspiration from iconic periods within history and projects this onto his models.

Recently in the celebrity world, particularly among female musicians, Queen Elizabeth has been a source of style inspiration, with many artists taking her look and customizing it to make it their own.

Lady Gaga at the Royal Variety Performance (2009)

Promotional image for Beyonce's Mrs Carter World Tour (2014)

Paloma Faith wearing Inbar Spector (2012)

In all three of these images the reference to Elizabethan fashion and culture is very clear: Lady Gaga's red latex ruff and gown, Beyonce's heavily embellished bodysuit with gold cage and high collar, and Paloma Faith's large golden embroidered dress and red hair.

Cara DeLevingne for i-D The Priceless Issue Winter 2013

I find it very interesting to see period styles constantly being recycled and reinvented and used over and over again in theatre, film and fashion. I think it's amazing how designers and directors alike can always use the old to create something new and fresh, but with an air of authenticity, and I aim to do this within my work.