JE SUIS DÉSOLÉ!

An influential hiatus, due to leviathan work loads.

CANDIDE / OU L'OPTIMISME
until further notice

KIM GORDON of SONIC YOUTH

Kim Gordon epitomized the sort of cool casual that would come to define the "desirable woman" of the 1990's: A petite and ambiguous waif with an edge rough enough to unman the toughest of alternative rock musicians. Gordon had all the imperturbable composure of Patti Smith, and all the smooth desirability of your best friends older sister. Great in a dress, even better with a guitar in her hand- Gordon defined effortless style in an era considered to be largely devoid of the latter.

The Nineties ushered in a whole new school of thought- the world was changing, the fear of Nuclear fall-out was dissolving and a generation gap as wide as the Arctic was beginning to develop- taking it's most prolific form in the wildly alternative style of music dubbed Grunge.
Bright color, flashy prints and high-maintenance hairstyles weren't the only things on the fast track out: The Attitude, lifestyle and values of the Eighties would go along with them.
Sonic Youth, an avant-garde thrash rock band from New York (along with groups like Nirvana, and The Butthole Surfers) lead the way in pioneering a sound and style that would define the alternative music scene for years to come.

In many ways, it was Gordon that kept alive the sort of softer femininity that the music industry fell short on at this time. Her blond hair, fine features and mini skirt made her a formidable force to be reckoned with.
Kim's appreciation for vivid colour and floral print is a reoccurring theme in her wardrobe, beginning here with a lot of cropped denim skirts, monotone mini's and fitted, casual tops in a striped theme. This combination gave birth to an almost coincidental cuteness, gracefully contrasted with the wild sensuality her music embodied.
This navy-and-cream silk floral print dress by 3.1 Phillip Lim is Gordon personified- balancing the girly with casual just so.
Paired with knee high socks and Leather Wrap boots by Chloé, the look completes itself.
Dress available on Net-A-Porter.com



KG's style has only matured over time. With the birth of her and Thurston Moore's first child, Coco Hayley Gordon Moore in 1994, the bad-girl image was shed and so emerged a markedly more polished look. Calling upon the influence of Gordon's style icon, Francoise Hardy, she developed a keener appreciation for structure in a garment, however has maintained a fashion-forward approach to her wardrobe.
"I kind of feel like when I dress in vintage stuff that represents the seventies and sixties, I kind of did that. I’m more conservative now," Gordon mentioned at this years New York Fashion Week.
For Day-Kim, a multicolored linen blend floral print shift dress with a split neckline by Moschino Cheap & Chic. A cultivated day-frock with just enough personality to do her justice.
Available at Net-a-Porter.com


Evening wear means bold for Kim (and time away from the Husband and kid!). The affinity for vivid, feminine colours we see exemplified in the nineties is alive and well, and couples together with a ultra-flattering Cocktail inspired silk mini dress with detachable corsage brooches and a paperbag waist by Thread Social. Paired with Louboutin's Jolie Noeud Dorcet shoes, the ensemble is complete.
Available, of course, on Net-a-Porter.com

"People have this idea of me... (that I am such a pillar of strength, or fierceness). I don’t know why. That’s why I like wearing clothes that are so feminine, fragile. It definitely screws around with people’s expectations. "
-Kim Gordon

BRIGITTE BARDOT

Sensuous, chic and effortlessly feminine are the cornerstones of Bardot's appeal. Parisian ballerina meets a painfully adulterous aura in one fine, classic exemplification of that true woman that Saint Laurent was talking about when he presented us with Le Smoking.
She captured the heart of Gainsbourg, Vadim and Lennon to name a few- and has been breathing life into the image of curvacious young francophiles ever since; Laying claim to three distinctive era's of individuality.

Paris in the Fifties was a very structured era, and any fledgling starlet knew she belonged in a Bustier. Classic Dior is a good reference point for Bardot at this time. We see her in a great deal of fitted cocktail gowns, heavy wool dress suits and cropped tailored jackets matched with sky-high heels in neutral tones.
This monochrome wool pencil dress from McQ is Brigitte envisaged, a fine accentuation of ample curves with a gentle dip neck to suggest the naive sexuality that Bardot gave fame too.
Available on Net-a-Porter.com



Next, a must-have for any appreciator of Europe's glamour-revolution in the Sixties. A knitted Cashmere sweater dress by Miu Miu: complete, classic and perfectly effortless. Matched with a luxe pair of silk tights (also by Miu Miu) and a slip on pair of Lanvin flats, you are the very picture of Roger Vadim's dream girl.

Both silk tights and Cashmere dress available on Net-a-Porter.com



Finally, Bardot's most daring era. The Seventies brought Brigitte her 40th birthday, and how did she celebrate? By allowing her current beau (and seasoned erotic photographer) to take candid snaps on the beach of their St. Tropez home. The images were published in Playboy on the eve of her Birthday.

"What better gift to myself than to know I am still incredible?"

A revealing statement on how her personal style would develop in the next decade of her life.
St. Tropez is hot and lovely, and freedom and sexuality were in pique. Bright, daring prints and glorius, vivid colours (largely defined by Pucci) made a strong impact on Bardot's wardrobe- as we see here with the Cancello print shift dress. Formidibly daring, however sensible in design this dress incapsulates what the Easy Rider era was for BB. A little more mature, but still rich in the "effortless chic" quality which defined her.
Available, of course, on Net-a-Porter.com

"I’ve always preferred mythology to history. History is composed of truths that become lies, mythology of lies that become truths. One characteristic of our age is that it creates instant myths in every field. The press is responsible for inventing people who already exist and endowing them with an imaginary life, superimposed on their own. Brigitte Bardot is a perfect example of this odd concoction. It is likely that fate set her down at the precise point where dream and morality merge. Her beauty and talent are undeniable, but she possesses some other, unknown quality which attracts idolaters in an age deprived of gods."
– Jean Cocteau