Shoes Glorious Shoes - Shoes: Pleasure and Pain at the V&A

So many people have spoken about shoes more knowledgeably and articulately than I so I shall use their words to take you through some of the highlights of this lovely exhibition at the V&A

Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world Marilyn Monroe

If high heels were so wonderful, men would be wearing them Sue Grafton ......... (I think you will find they are)

If a chick wants to know who makes my shoes she's got to take them off and look inside ASAP Rocky

One thing I detest, I have to say, is when a shoe is too soft and its molding to the foot. This is quite disgusting. And I really really hate incredibly long shoes, where the last is very pointy, almost like Aladdin. Christian Louboutin (Not Sure how he would feel about these ones)

I like Cinderella, I really do. She has a good work ethic. And she likes shoes. The fairytale is all about the shoe at the end. Amy Adams

I spend most of my time wearing uncomfortable things, so for me, it's all about trainers. Cara Delevinge (I think she would approve of Robert's adidas collection in the exhibition)

Craziness in a shoe is great - you can have much more freedom, you can exaggerate it and it doesn't feel stupid. But to have too much craziness near your face, that would just feel weird. Miuccia Prada

I'm not afraid of heights have you seen my shoes Carrie Bradshaw

Seeing how Reality becomes Fantasy: Nick Waplington/ Alexander McQueen: Working Process

Alexander McQueen is the name on every London based fashonista and gallery goers lips at the moment. The V&A are holding the Savage Beauty exhibition which proved a sell out success when it was at the Metropolitan in New York. Now almost four years later it has come to London bringing the clothes back to McQueen's home turf.

Endless column inches have been written about this show there was even a program on the BBC where Tinie Temper takes us around the star studded private view.

Less attention has been given to the Tate Britain's Nick Waplington/Alexander McQueen: Working Process exhibition and it is on this one that I shall focus.

Before I start one major disclaimer **There are no dresses in this exhibition** If you want to ogle over his astounding designs then this is not the show for you but believe me it brings plenty of other fascinating things to the party.

The exhibition shows the photographs of British photographer Nick Waplington. Waplington is better known for his early gritty photographs of his family and friends shot in Aspley Estate in Nottingham. In these we are presented with screaming children, men under cars, adults clutching fags, tinsel laden Christmas trees all set against a backdrop of garish 70's wallpaper and shag carpet. They capture an image of hectic, chaotic but also very loving family life. More recently his work has focused on Jewish settlers in the West bank. (incidentally his Instagram feed is great)

Certainly not the archetypal fashion photographer. Yet he was the man that McQueen looked to when he wanted to create a photographic document of his iconic 2009 show the Horn of Plenty. The match is in fact a perfect one and the collaborative photobook that the pair produced reflects both of their interests and personalities.

The images take us through the development of the Horn of Plenty catwalk show, as well as focusing on photographs taken in McQueen's studio the pair incorporated Waplington's stunning photographs of that oh so glamorous fashion venue... landfill sites.

At first glance this may seem like a strange combination however the notion of recycling and reusing old fabrics designs and other materials was central to this particular show and the starkly contrasting images do in fact compliment each other. The fashion photographs allow us to look at the beautiful colours in the landfill images the elaborate textures they create, while the landfill images remind us of the transience of the very nature of fashion, disposable culture and McQueen's interest in recycling his ideas.

The images take you through the process of creating the show we see the elaborate moodboards, Sarah Burton (who of course now heads the Alexander McQueen brand) helping pin the designs onto models, models being squeezed into corsets, magnificent hats being created by Philip Treacy and every little detail being closely examined to create the most dramatic effect possible. One of the striking things about the exhibition is the extent to which Lee is involved in the process there are endless shots of him in his slightly creased shirt micromanaging the design process.

The final room is undeniably the most dramatic the images shown here are the last phase in the process, showing the moment just before the models go on stage.

The room is dark with black walls and bright spotlights angled straight on to the works so they seem to jump off the wall. I can't help but think of it as the moment just before reality becomes fantasy because that is what McQueen's shows are really works of  pure carefully crafted fantasy.

Fur Coats ... not just a passing trend

I recently bought myself my much loved and incredibly cosy faux fur coat and it got me thinking about the long tradition of the representation of fur in art.  

Donatello St John the Baptist c.1386-1466

Some of the earliest uses of fur in art are in paintings and sculptures of St John the Baptist such as this sculpture by Donatello. St John the Baptist was often clothed in fur, in Matthew 3:4 he is described thus, 'And the same John had his clothing of camel's hair, and a leather belt about his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.' This describes John during his time preaching in the desert before his baptism of Christ.

Jan Gossaert Portrait of Hendrick III c. 1517

In this portrait Hendrick III is represented wearing a fur shawl alongside his velvet hat and elaborately herringboned tunic. Here the rich materials are used for their symbolic value, representing the wealth and importance of the sitter in a dialogue of opulence. Additionally they celebrate the prowess of the painter and his mastery of complex painting techniques in the attempt to create naturalism.

John Currin Rachel in Fur 2002

From the Renaissance we turn to a painting with a more contemporary feel by the American painter John Currin. Here while the fur still speaks of opulence there is a newly glamorous edge, particularly when paired with the Nicole Richiesque dark sunglasses. It is a look that would grace the pages of Vogue.

Meret Oppenheim Object 1936

While here I deviate from clothing a look at fur in art simply wouldn’t be complete without this most notorious surrealist object. Supposedly deriving its appearance from a discussion between Oppenheim Picasso and Dora Maar at a Parisian cafe. Admiring Oppenheim's fur-covered bracelet, Picasso remarked that one could cover anything with fur, to which she replied, "Even this cup and saucer" and with that an art work was born.