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Saturday 16 May 2009

Zandra Rhodes Designs for Marks & Spencer - Wow!

zandria7 Pictures, Images and Photos

Funny Quote of the Day
Originality is the fine art of remembering what you hear but forgetting where you heard it.
Laurence J. Peter

Wiki is whispering to me again of the doyenne of the eccentric, the wonderful, Zandra (Lindsey) Rhodes, CBE, RDI, (born 19 September 1940, Chatham, Kent) is a British fashion designer.

'Zandra was introduced to the world of fashion by her mother, who was a fitter in a Paris fashion house and a teacher at Medway College of Art. Zandra studied first at Medway and then at the Royal College of Art in London. Her early textile fashion designs were considered too outrageous by traditional British manufacturers.

Zandra Rhodes Pictures, Images and Photos

'She was one of the new wave of British designers putting London at the forefront of the international fashion scene in the 1970s. Her designs have always been clear, creative statements, dramatic but graceful, bold but feminine. Zandra's inspiration has always come from the organic. Her innovative approach to the construction of garments can be seen in her use of reversed exposed seams and in the jewelled safety pins and tears she used during the punk era.

'Zandra designed for Diana, Princess of Wales, the People's Princess, and continues to design for royalty and celebrities. She notably designed a lot of famous costumes for Freddie Mercury. Over the years, she has had many academic and professional honours bestowed upon her and was made a Commander of the British Empire by the Queen in 1997'.

S/S 2007 Pictures, Images and Photos

With her bright green hair (later changed to a stunning pink and sometimes red or other colours), theatrical makeup and art jewellery, she has stamped her identity on the international world of fashion.

S/S 2007 Pictures, Images and Photos

She has made San Diego her second home and it was the San Diego Opera that commissioned her to design the costumes for her first opera, The Magic Flute in 2001. Zandra is the founder of the Fashion and Textile Museum in London which was opened in May 2003 by Princess Michael of Kent.

Zandra Rhodes Pictures, Images and Photos

'Zandra continued her association with the San Diego Opera in 2008 when she designed the set and costumes for Bizet’s Les Pêcheurs de Perles (The Pearl Fishers) and Verdi's AIDA for Houston Grand Opera and English National Opera.

CLICKIE
While one sixties fashion icon - Barbara Hulanicki - is about to let a capsule collection loose on high street favourite Topshop, Zandra launched a capsule collection, using her creative and iconic designs as inspiration, on May 7 at highstreet favourite, Marks & Spencer'.

"Marks & Spencer does a wonderful product range and I have always wanted to design for them. I am thrilled to see my prints and their beautiful clothes reach a wide range of customers," says Rhodes, who has produced a range of womenswear, accessories, holiday pieces and lingerie.

Starting from £6 for a pair of knickers and £16 for a bra, prices go up to £65 and £89 for a jumpsuit and one-shouldered dress respectively. The range is available online and in 55 stores nationwide.

Now Fhina knows why she is on that diet, as she has so coveted Zandra Rhodes bold-brave style and her chiffon delicacies. Ahhhh, the exotic-plumaged, elegance... Don't you think, mes buttoned-up dahlinks?

S/S 2008 Pictures, Images and Photos

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Fhina, she's great! I love her clothes, especially the red hair with the lime green dress. Too class!

Saz said...

Morning Queen Fhina!!

Great informative post of one of my favourite ladies...in my other life, I wanted to go to art school and design clothing, now all I do is covet and gloat at her books....

am at work so cannot view the images, but I imagine they are FAB!

I am over in Gosforth on Wednesday to claim my french passeport and carte d'identide...any chance of grabbing a cafe together mon ami?

FFF x

Jinksy said...

Blimey, I can see you blogging wearing off the shoulder dress on a Saturday morning... What next?

A Woman Of No Importance said...

Dedene: The colours shouldn't work together, but they are seen in nature, and so do - So beautifully - I do covet the clothing she is releasing through Marksy's, although I haven't been to visit with them yet ;) x

Saz: I have replied to you via Hotmail - I think - Please shout if I haven't - Would adore to meet, just need to check my work diary on Monday morning, as I know what I am doing Mon and Tues, but mind is blank for the rest of the week!

I've always been interested in fashion, and a friend went off to study fashion design at Newcastle - She now lives in Milano - Lovely! I didn't know she had books, and I have always loved her eccentric, eclectic style, and her historical place in fashion - A true legend, non?! xxooxx

A Woman Of No Importance said...

jinksy: My darling I would if I were thin enough!

As it is, I am clad in black leggings, red patent leather peep-toed flatties with a red and white bow, a black and white large-patterned tunic top with tiny touches of red, and I've a Moschino silk scarf draped around my neck, as I'm on my way to take it someplace else! Are you my anonymouse caller?! ;) xxx

Michelle said...

Love that quote!!!

Fhina I miss you come to my blog!!

How are you??

Unknown said...

Now showing, La Fhina, on a High Street near you!

You don't by any chance have shares in M&S or Ms Rhodes' collection?! And pull that strap back up!

kapgaf said...

Ma chère FSI,

La Rhodes has always made such wearable fashions and I have long coveted many items (even in the 70s when I couldn't imagine that one day I would be able to afford them!).
And because I would love to wear her clothes, I don't find her eccentric !

Passe une excellente fin de semaine.

Bises tout plein.

Anonymous said...

That is a great quote!

A Woman Of No Importance said...

Michelle: I have been a bit shattered, my treasure! I am sitting here, bloggering about like a rather large Zombie-Fhina! I shall be over later, don't wait up, though - I am trying to book a holiday at the mo' for the summer, as I need some sun to look forward to - And with the recession, it's not that easy! See you soonest - Mwah! xxooxx

Derrick: No honestly, Derrick, I do not have any shares in M & S! I have always loved la Rhodes, though, although some might consider her eccentric - I think she's colourful and stylish, and I just could not believe she would design for, occasionally dowdy, M & S! ;) Love you, really!

kapgaf: You are lovely, cherie! 'FSI' - Makes me sound like an American Crime Scene Investigated stylee prog! I think the way she uses colour is devastatingly fabulous, and I have always loved her style, but never thought I would ever be able to afford any of her wares, so her coming to M & S, although probably in a very diluted way, is making me smile... Have a sweet weekend, my sweet! xxx

Carolina said...

Very stylish again. And *sigh* again. ;-)

blognut said...

What about your hat, Fhina? The fabulous outfit you're wearing is screaming for an equally fabulous hat.

Have a lovely weekend my dear. XXOO

Bloggus

A Woman Of No Importance said...

Carolina: Lovely, non?! Take care you! xox

Bloggus: I love those new-fangled feathery things... We call them 'fascinators' here - Where the feather sits across a tiny hat or hairband, and wobble and shimmer in slight breezes - A little, or a lot, like la Fhina, whichever way you choose to look at it! ;) xxooxx

Working Mum said...

Haven't heard about Zandra for ages, I do remember her designing for Princess Diana, but not much since. Certainly didn't know about the M&S thing; have to check it out.

A Mother's Place is in the Wrong said...

How lovely to catch up with you and to see your Zandra Rhodes post - she has always been one of my favourite designers and characters! I had one of her jackets, and a dress, and could now kick myself for selling them..grrr..
What stupid theings we do sometimes! M :-)

A Woman Of No Importance said...

Working Mum: I couldn't remember her designing for Diana - You are quite right, I know... Get yourself off to check out the styles and the fabrics - There is information online, should you wish...

Jewels said...

Wonderful, wonderful! Probably the only woman in the world who can carry off pink hair, (well, other than Pink the artist that is).

Something I wrote earlier...

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