V&A To Host Horst Exhibition

The V&A will host a retrospective of the life and work of German photographer Horst P Horst this September entitled Horst: Photographer Of Style.

As one of the leading photographers of the 20th century, Horst's diverse archive spans the opulent salons of post-war Paris, the introduction of ready-to-wear to the extravagant studio set-ups of the Eighties and Nineties, and collaborations with fellow luminaries Coco Chanel, Elsa Schiaparelli and Salvador Dali along the way. As a result, the exhibition has been a long time in the making.

Horst

"In 2008, when we viewed the collection of the Horst estate, we were immediately struck by the quality and breadth of his output," Susanna Brown, curator of the exhibition, told us. "Horst ranks alongside Irving Penn and Richard Avedon as one of the 20th-century's master photographers. To my mind, he is an ideal V&A subject because the work resonates across the various V&A collections, covering not only fashion but also themes such as interior design, Surrealism, Hollywood film and theatre."

It was still no mean feat editing the expansive archive down however.

"With Martin Barnes, senior curator of photographs, I examined each one of the thousands of vintage prints and felt privileged to have been allowed access to the extensive Condé Nast Archives in New York, London and Paris," said Brown. "The Paris archive contains his earliest black and white pictures, from the Thirties, while New York houses thousands of later photographs and exquisite colour images. Some of Horst's images have become icons of photography so it was definitely hard to edit down, as he was so prolific during his 60-year career."

Horst's long relationship with Vogue is also well documented in the exhibition, which opens on September 6 and will run until January 4, 2015.

Fendi's Alchemy

As the mind behind the renowned Fendi baguette, and now the new customisable version of the Peekaboo bag, it's no surprise that Silvia Venturini Fendi knows what gives accessories the got-to-have factor.

"It's alchemy," the designer told us this morning as we previewed the new Fendi flagship store on New Bond Street - all soft carpets and artfully designed furniture, displays of gorgeous shoes and walls of the aforementioned bags, all bright, bejewelled and embroidered.

"It's when you see something you can't leave without. I'm not a shopaholic so it's difficult for me to think 'I need this'," she said, explaining that her creative process usually starts out with thinking about how she doesn't actually need anything. Then she thinks about things that are missing and it builds from there. "What do I need? Sometimes it's very stupid. I ask myself a lot of questions," she said, pointing out that she never looks at what others do, instead staying committed and working every day in her own Fendi world.

Silvia Venturini Fendi

Among some of her most popular creations has been the monster keyring - a fuzzy little critter that you'll see dangling joyfully from many a bag.

"I had been on a beautiful holiday in Brazil with one of my best friends," she explained of its inception - the colours inspired by the tropical birds she saw there. "We thought let's do something fun, we wanted something light. It's an anti-stress and it's like a little friend," she described, likening it to being a guardian of the handbag.

The Pradasphere Is Unveiled

The Pradasphere is finally open. This morning Harrods unveiled its eagerley-anticipated collaboration with Prada - an exhibition celebrating the history of the brand and the ideas of its founder Miuccia Prada.

"Welcome to the Pradasphere, a collection of remarkable objects arranged to reveal our complex, often intertwined, obsessions as manifest in everything from fashion and accessories to art, architecture, film and culture," a placard greeted us as we arrived for a first look at the space. "It is also an unabashed celebration of exquisite materiality and craftsmanship, a paean to the rare and the finely wrought, and a whole-hearted endorsement of the stylistic iconoclast."

Pradasphere at Harrods

Iconic dresses encased in glass displays, books that demand to be devoured and the most memorable pieces from the history of the brand - among many more unmissable objects - make up this unique emporium. Upon showing us around, a Harrods spokesperson introduced the exhibition as, "the recurrent cultural themes that are evident in Mrs Prada's work", describing it as, "a natural history museum of Prada". Our favourite kind of history.

Dolce and Gabbana To Appeal Latest Verdict

Following  yesterday's guilty verdict at the appeal for their ongoing tax evasion case,Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana have vowed to once again appeal the decision at the Corte di Cassazione - Italy's supreme court.

The designers and their accountant, Luciano Patelli, were found guilty of tax evasion last June and were each sentenced to one year and eight months in prison. Yesterday's decision upheld the guilty verdict, although reduced the prison term by two months.

Dolce & Gabbana

"I am speechless and astounded, this sentence is inexplicable," Massimo Dinoia, Dolce and Gabbana's lawyer, said immediately after the hearing. "After all, the general prosecutor already realised that there was really nothing to the case. We will surely present our appeal to the Corte di Cassazione. This is an unfair verdict and we are sure the Cassazione will reform it."

According to Italian law, however, none of the defendants will have to serve jail time as their sentences are below the two-year minimum in Italy.

Inside The V&A's Wedding Dresses Exhibition

It may be entitled Wedding Dresses 1775-2014, but the Victoria & Albert's new exhibition charts so much more than just the all-important white dress.

Telling the story of the evolution of the bridal gown - from when white first became de rigueur to the increased media focus on high-profile nuptials - the exhibition is displayed across two floors, opening on the first with the oldest gowns from the late-18th century and then showcasing the last 50 years of fashion on the mezzanine level.

The chronology allows the exhibits to show how weddings have evolved - alongside many of the gowns are films or photographs of the bride who wore them and line drawings of the buildings in which the couples were married, fascinating details are peppered throughout on plaques, while there are also outfits worn by grooms, page boys and bridesmaids.

Curator Edwina Ehrman worked on the exhibition for five years, acquiring many new pieces for the museum's archive along the way and filling many of the gaps in its extensive collection of wedding fashion. In no particular order, she told us she was particularly thrilled to acquire pieces from Kate Moss and Jamie Hince, Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale, Dita Von Teese, Katie Shillingford and Mary Charteris - the final of which, designed by Pam Hogg, she describes as a "really key dress, it's quite interesting to see their collaborative take on the wedding dress".

Kate Moss & Jamie Hince´s Wedding Attire

"A good wedding dress should reflect the period in which it's worn," Ehrman told us - a sentiment that allows the exhibition to explore trends of the times, whether it be the drop-waists of the Twenties, the glamour of the Thirties or the growth of more innovative and unconventional outfits.

Wedding Dresses 1775-2014 runs from May 3 until March 15 2015.

The Kate Countdown

The wait for Kate  is very nearly over and to celebrate her latest collection for Topshop, the supermodel herself will be in store at the Oxford Street flagship this evening at 6pm and it will all be live-streamed.

Watch Kate Moss for Topshop

Not only that, but from what we could see this morning as we made our way to work, the windows have been removed which means fans of Moss might get even closer to her than they hoped.

Kate Moss for Topshop

Following the launch the collection will be available to shop, until the doors close at 10pm.

What are you waiting for?

Gucci's Garden

Gucci will take part in the Chelsea Flower Show this May, by presenting a garden based on its signature Flora print.

The exhibit - which will be created by landscape and garden designer Sarah Eberle and will be displayed in the Fresh Garden area of the annual extravaganza - will mark the first time the brand has taken part in the horticultural event, and for creative director Frida Giannini  it has special significance.

"Flora was the very first iconic design motif from Gucci's storied past that I decided to revive and reinterpret," Giannini said. "Since then I have used it on bags, dresses, scarves and as the inspiration for a series of fragrances," she said.

Gucci

Alongside the garden, various other Flora-themed activities will take place to celebrate the event, reports WWD, including the release of a limited-edition Lady Lock handbag range that will feature the traditional print, and artisan workshops in the label's Sloane Street store during the dates of the show.