EDVARD MUNCH AND THE STREET STYLE THING

Posted by Fashion Junior at Large (in Paris)

A tuileries poser (see fashionologie.com)

Back when I was a reader of this blog, I recall an account of the blogger's catwalk phenomenon that occurs before each show at the Tuileries during fashion week. This morning, I actually experienced this a tiny bit for myself as I accompanied the FashEd to Viktor and Rolf. Although it was pretty remarkable, I knew it had been well documented here and elsewhere before so didn't think much more of it. That is until I paid a visit to the Edvard Munch exhibition currently taking place at the Pompidou Centre.

I think we all recognise this holding the camera at arms length to capture a self-portrait. Classically known as the 'my-space' pose

 His obsession with taking his own picture and painting his own portrait struck a chord in the context of the slightly bizarre Tuileries scene where people know that if they dress right, the street snappers will come running- they're turning themselves into subjects just as much as Munch did himself, even if they don't actually end up taking the picture. In exactly the same way as today's subjects, Munch would experiment with different looks, settings and angles.

 Of course, he wasn't trying to show how stylish he was, nor was he attempting to become some kind of star simply by taking cool photos of himself but he was most definitely exploring a facet present in us all to some degree; our fascination with our own image.

 The exhibition notes explain that Munch took to painting himself at least once a year so that by the end of his life he had over 40 self- portraits, not to mention many more pictures taken on his Kodak Bull's Eye camera which he purchased in Berlin in 1902. I couldn't help imagining what Munch might have made of today's prolific self-portraiture as facilitated by blogs, tumblrs and twitter. But most of all I thought he was a great example of how this level of wonderment about our own image and that of fellow humans is really no new thing. He was perhaps one of the first people to have opportunity to properly indulge it. And now we are positively swamped with chances, we can spend all day posing and snapping if we really want to.

All Edvard Munch photos by Fashion Junior at Large at the Centre Georges Pompidou, until 9th January

GET THE PARIS LOOK

Posted by Fashion Junior at Large

Some of us didn't make it to Paris Fashion Week - namely me. But that's fine - reading show reports on Style.com is just as good as being there right?...(sob!)

Well happily I've found an injection of Parisian style right here, on the great British highstreet. Urban Outfitters is having a bit of a love affair with French brands at the moment: Sessun, Le Mont St Michel, American Retro, Surface to Air, Vanessa Bruno Athe and IRO. Joy!

Je t'aime this sheer, nude blouse and leather shorts (£300). Bang on the money for summer. 

Surface to Air is kind of the French version of ACNE - a Paris based creative collective whose talents span film, photography, graphic design, music and, of course, fashion. The brand has also launched a 12 piece capsule collection by Kings of Leon, who I am utterly besotted with. Buy it here.

How much do you want to be wearing this come June? 

IRO is another brand sprung from multi-talented designers. The Bitton brothers come from a music background originally but branched into fashion because 'It lets everyone be loved'. Awwww bless.

I'm sure you're probably familiar with the misleadingly named American Retro. This season the French design duo were inspired by rockabilly music, American motorcycle clubs and 90s underground fashion culture. Expect signature classics with an edge, like this little black 'retro dot clash' dress.

All the above are available to buy from www.urbanoutfitters.co.uk. Get clicking mon amie!

Also, just for the hell of it, I thought I'd post this clip from the film Paris Je T'aime. If you haven't seen it I highly recommend. It's kind if an artsy movie comprised of multiple short stories about life and love in Paris. In this tale Elijah Wood has a run in with a sexy vampire on a darkened bridge. Oh my!