0
The Vogue Fashion Festival was heralded a resounding success, shunning the gloomy clouds of recession, revelling in its secret wonderland of eccentric and vibrant colours and personalities.
The Fashion Festival made dreams come true for budding models and aspiring fashion designers and uncovered the secrets of the muses.
Stella McCartney played Fairy Godmother when she offered work experience to someone in the audience.
Fashionistas were treated to a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to become cover girls and star in their own Vogue shoot at the cover shoot stand, where they dressed up in all sorts of Chanel gorgeousness and posed for the camera.
Tom Ford was his usual charming self as he held court throughout his discussion of his film, fashion and beauty empires.
Tom said: “The first thing I ever saw my name on was a pair of sunglasses in about 2005. Before that my name had always been attached to a label, so that really meant something to me.”
Describing himself as a “perfectionist to the point of insanity,” he revealed that he tests out his entire beauty collection himself.
He said: “I put every single thing on – I don’t wear it down the street, but I want to see how it covers, how it works. When you put your name on something, you want people to know you believe in it.”
Tom explained why he models in his Chanel campaigns and said that he hasn’t got a superiority complex. He models the clothes to further cement the personality of his brand and his appearance in many of his own advertising campaigns is not due to a desire to be photographed.
Tom said: “In fact I’m very shy. I’m the face of the brand. With Chanel, you feel that Karl Lagerfeld’s personality has really melded with Coco’s – but not everyone knows yet who I am, so that’s why I’m in the pictures.”
He added: “I don’t like having my picture taken but it helps people to respond. My real life’s not like the fantasy Tom Ford world – with naked girls pouring perfume everywhere. It’s more staying in and watching Friends on television.”
Tom does know how to relax – he spent his 50th birthday white-water rafting in the middle of nowhere. He said: “I like to do things that challenge me. Plus, nature is totally perfect but absolutely imperfect. I’m not there to try to redesign a tree, so it’s restful for me. That’s how I wanted to spend my 50th birthday – in the middle of nowhere.”
Stefano Gabbana revealed that the first celebrity to wear their designs was Madonna, Queen of Pop.
Stefano said: “We went to see her on the Blond Ambition tour in 1990 – she was wearing Jean Paul Gaultier then – and I said to Domenico: ‘Imagine if one day she wore Dolce & Gabbana.’ Then we picked up the paper and there she was, in one of our dresses.”
Stella McCartney and Kate Hudson reminisced about the first time they met.
Kate said: “We met at the VH1 Fashion Awards. I saw her – she was so cool – standing in this doorway with Keith Richards.”
“I always carry Keith Richards with me in my handbag so I look cool,” Stella dead-panned.
And Stella talked about keeping fashion in the family. She said: “My kids are funny. They are all so different. My eldest, he just likes football. The middle two – a girl and a boy – are quite close in age, and they’re both really into fashion.”
Both are showing signs of a keen eye for fashion, Stella said: “My daughter says, ‘I like this dress mummy, but can’t we make it a bit shorter?’ – and my son will say, ‘I love that colour of blue’. He’s the one who I say, ‘Will you come and work with me when you’re older? Do you promise?'”