In honour of the 200th birthday of Charles John Huffam Dickens,
novelist, philanthropist, storyteller extraordinaire
... the British bookshelf would be a poorer place without you ...
today, we salute you!
Tuesday, 7 February 2012
Wednesday, 1 February 2012
Waxing lyrical: the genesis of a wax mannequin
Hands up who's been to a waxworks? Almost everyone can recall as a child at least one trip; marvelling at the likeness of your favourite TV character or gazing wistfully up at Her Majesty in full regal finery. The Secret Life of Mannequins promised you some fascinating peeks "behind the back of the window!" and this one is literally a GEM.
The Secret Life of Mannequins have friends at the wax mannequin makers GEMS STUDIO a specialist manufacturer of museum wax character figures. In the company's long history (told in correct fullness and detail at history of GEMS STUDIO wax mannequins) wax was always the manufacturing material of choice for realistic looking figures before fibreglass became available. Wax is acknowledged as having the closest appearance to human flesh, with a delicate level of translucency and depth.
In days gone by wax mannequins were often made using glass eyes, real hair and teeth: glass eyes are still evident, but dentures and synthetic hair have taken the place of previously authentic items! GEMS STUDIO have collected a small archive of these rare antique pieces, which were also made using a more volatile form of wax, that melted at a far lower temperature than its contemporary equivalent, thus causing problems in summer months in the days before air conditioning!
Today's wax mannequin is a very different and modern affair: not only used for the display of traditionally historic garments, but also for showcasing contemporary clothing in a characterful way.
GEMS STUDIO work with a number of prestigious clients ranging from museum curators through heritage presentations and modern wax museums to high end fashion designers: all have a very different end purpose, but a very considered intent.
Before the team at GEMS can start to manufacture a wax figure, they must have a mould of the sculpt or cast body part to be made. Depending on the size of the piece, the mould may be made in alginate, plaster or fibreglass. The one shown to left has been heavily reinforced with a casing to hold the parts rigidly in place during the process.
Wax is heated slowly to an optimum working temperature then swiftly but with extreme dexterity transferred into the mould.
An expertly smooth pour is required in order that air bubbles do not get trapped at the extremities of the piece ruining the cast.
Sometimes the wax is coloured with pigment to obtain a base tone, over which each layer of paint is applied to reach the target flesh colour.
The Secret Life of Mannequins have friends at the wax mannequin makers GEMS STUDIO a specialist manufacturer of museum wax character figures. In the company's long history (told in correct fullness and detail at history of GEMS STUDIO wax mannequins) wax was always the manufacturing material of choice for realistic looking figures before fibreglass became available. Wax is acknowledged as having the closest appearance to human flesh, with a delicate level of translucency and depth.
In days gone by wax mannequins were often made using glass eyes, real hair and teeth: glass eyes are still evident, but dentures and synthetic hair have taken the place of previously authentic items! GEMS STUDIO have collected a small archive of these rare antique pieces, which were also made using a more volatile form of wax, that melted at a far lower temperature than its contemporary equivalent, thus causing problems in summer months in the days before air conditioning!
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GEMS STUDIO work with a number of prestigious clients ranging from museum curators through heritage presentations and modern wax museums to high end fashion designers: all have a very different end purpose, but a very considered intent.
Before the team at GEMS can start to manufacture a wax figure, they must have a mould of the sculpt or cast body part to be made. Depending on the size of the piece, the mould may be made in alginate, plaster or fibreglass. The one shown to left has been heavily reinforced with a casing to hold the parts rigidly in place during the process.
Wax is heated slowly to an optimum working temperature then swiftly but with extreme dexterity transferred into the mould.
An expertly smooth pour is required in order that air bubbles do not get trapped at the extremities of the piece ruining the cast.
Sometimes the wax is coloured with pigment to obtain a base tone, over which each layer of paint is applied to reach the target flesh colour.
After casting, heads have the eyeball section removed and the glass eyeballs are inserted. Eyeballs are custom made by a specialist company to a detailed spec. relating to the initial reference images. Layers of the skin tone are built up and hair is added. Hair will usually be a combination of a wig piece with hand inserted hairline. Shown below right is a hairline painstakingly being inserted, hair by hair! Shown below is a head for the fashion designer Rick Owens.
Shown below are finished some examples of wax heads and hands produced by GEMS STUDIO: the detail and realism is stunning. See more of this companies work at: www.gems-studio.com
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| Pope John Paul II |
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| Padre Pio |
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| a pair of wax hands |
Friday, 13 January 2012
It's all about Iris
Being a mannequin of meticulous standards and substantial means - I make it my aim (image-wise) to search for the new and adopt the unique. I am truly a magpie of maquillage, a beholder of beauty in all its fabulous variety and manifestations. Miss Mannequin is not completely loyal to any one brand either - a true tart of the beauty hall!
My roving eye was recently drawn to MAC - a queen amongst cosmetic princesses. Yes, yes, yes, I know all about The Daphne Guinness Collection (of course like Daphne I too have my own stylist, make up artist and troupe of dedicated hairdressers)! But what interests me more is their recent Iris Apfel Collection. Astonishingly captivating, this vibrant 90yr old shows that age is no barr to looking great, a little make up (but no surgery) are all in a days work. Amazing photographs and well done MAC for celebrating a more diverse beauty ethic.
My roving eye was recently drawn to MAC - a queen amongst cosmetic princesses. Yes, yes, yes, I know all about The Daphne Guinness Collection (of course like Daphne I too have my own stylist, make up artist and troupe of dedicated hairdressers)! But what interests me more is their recent Iris Apfel Collection. Astonishingly captivating, this vibrant 90yr old shows that age is no barr to looking great, a little make up (but no surgery) are all in a days work. Amazing photographs and well done MAC for celebrating a more diverse beauty ethic.
As for me...when I want a more up to date look - I call in my friends at Bodyline. Versed in the ways of make-up and hair - they have indeed gilded my beauty over the seasons, renovating even the most tired of my fibre-glass chums and even repairing their little chips and cracks along the way.
Check out the new Bodyline website where a superb gallery of looks awaits.
Tuesday, 3 January 2012
artistic inspiration
Happy New Year dear readers - and to all of you Miss Mannequin wishes the highest order of creativity in 2012!
So lets kick off with some inspiration, re-invented innovation and a bit of old fashioned light entertainment .. with this year's oscar tipped film "The Artist".
Nothing could be more like visual confectionery (so needed in early January when the Xmas supply of chocs has all but run out)! than this beautifully executed French fim following the fortunes of a silent movie star as he struggles to come to terms with the change from silent screen to talkies.
Starring Jean Dujardin as screen idol George Valentin and Bérénice Bejo as aspiring starlet Peppy Miller, who could fail to be enchanted by this black and white extravaganza, which runs through every genre of film prevalent in the late Twenties, blending them seamlessly together yet serving them up to you as fresh as a daisy! If you know your classic movies you will sense elements of Valentino, Douglas Fairbanks, Clara Bow, Sunset Boulevard, Fred and Ginger and Gene Kelly. If you don't...get researching! In Miss Mannequin's opinion, there's definately something worth knowing about silent movies and Hollywood dance showcases that could benefit visual in these dim times of economic gloom.
Best scene for Miss Mannequin - George's nightmare where everything begins to take on sound .. apart from him ... and of course the surprise line right at the end. Truly fabulous, retro, yet not antique! And for those who want a further peak ...
Thursday, 22 December 2011
A little fairy told me!
Now you all know Miss Mannequin loves nothing more than a luxury shop at this time of year. Mincing (pardon the seasonal pie pun) around Mayfair after a particularly gruelling session yesterday, I popped into Claridges for a thimble of sherry.
Propping my base plate discreetly against the edge of my armchair and slipping off my Louboutins for a moment, I spied, to my great delight, the most glorious and glamorous tree in all fashiondom! Four metres in height and bedecked by more baubles and ribbons than a Tiffany photo-shoot, this magnificent specimen has been designed by Lanvin supremo Alber Elbaz.
......... and a toast to you my dear readers … it has been a positive pleasure to ramble on to such a discerning bunch of webettes!
If you are passing – I urge you to stop for a gawp at the Claridges tree, which will be on display until January 2nd
Propping my base plate discreetly against the edge of my armchair and slipping off my Louboutins for a moment, I spied, to my great delight, the most glorious and glamorous tree in all fashiondom! Four metres in height and bedecked by more baubles and ribbons than a Tiffany photo-shoot, this magnificent specimen has been designed by Lanvin supremo Alber Elbaz.
Beautifully executed, Alber’s tree includes mannequins caricatured as hotel staff, (chambermaids and a concierge) nonchalantly socialising with the hotels guests amid the splendour of the hotel’s luxurious lobby
To top it all (and I do mean to top it all!)
with typical humour, the fairy perched
at the pinnacle of the tree
is none other than the fashion mogul himself. Well done Alber,
they don’t get much more haute couture than that I thought as I raised my glass.
......... and a toast to you my dear readers … it has been a positive pleasure to ramble on to such a discerning bunch of webettes!
If you are passing – I urge you to stop for a gawp at the Claridges tree, which will be on display until January 2nd
Monday, 12 December 2011
All i want for Xmas
Santa Baby......Miss Mannequin is penning her Christmas list to Santa and top spot goes to a years subscription to the online archive for Vogue Magazine.
For £970 (come on Santa, you know i'm worth it!), this fantastic depository boasts 400,000 digitised pages including covers, articles and advertisements of American Vogue (sadly not the UK version yet), reaching back to 1892.
A refined search engine can instantly pull out information on a brand, designer, photographer or even a single colour, material or clothing. Fashionistas everywhere will soon be selecting from this rich library of textual and visual annals.
Miss Mannequin had better be extra good until Christmas if she wants to make sure of this gift. Be good too kids, and get that letter written soon!
Box clever: BOXPARK
Always keen to bring you newnesss in retail - Miss Mannequin popped down to her new local mall to bring you some hot off the press news from the delightfully funky and original BOXPARK: situated in London's Shoreditch. The antithesis of East London's other new mall experience (Westfield Stratford City), BOXPARK is whipping up a retail revolution as the World's first pop up retail mall. Sixty streetwear related brands are housed on shipping containers, strapped together and stacked high at the corner of one of London's most happening intersections. The Shoreditch area is known world-wide for its artistic leanings and original "out of the box" ideas. BOXPARK is no exception.
Down at street level skater, surf and nerdie-chic types, shopped the containers (which inside were perfectly fitted with all mod cons and just as a small store should be), mingling and merging as they darted into each door for a mini fix of brands like Levis, PUMA, Calvin, Kangol, Farah and Lacoste.
Upstairs on the rugged wooden boardwalk - cafes and chill areas overlooked the busy street - a perfect place to pose, repose and generally check out all things cool as the world wandered by.
You will all know by now that Miss Mannequin would NEVER wear trainers (perish the thought!), but she does know an original retail concept when she sees one.
Get down with the kidz and shop this pop-up - whilst you can!
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