Birds of Paradise: The Fashion Film Festival

Promising to be a "major extravaganza in costume spectacle, dance and diabolical glamour," the 3rd Fashion in Film Festival in London, is coming this December 1-12.  Curated by Marketa Uhlirova, the films will focus on the use of costume as a spectacular cinematic element as seen in European and American films from the 20th century.  Included in the programme are many early rare and unseen films, as well as some of the lavishly styled underground films of the mid-century.

Last week I had the pleasure to hear Marketa speak at a fashion media conference at the London College of Fashion.  She spoke in depth about the films and showed us some tantalising preview footage!

Screenings will take place at the BFI Southbank, Tate Modern, The Barbican, and the Horse Hospital. So if you live in London, or will be near London in early December, don't be surprised if "diabolical glamour" abounds.

Shanghai Surprise: Prada's Spring Awakening

Pictures usually succeed where words will fail, and in fashion it seems that video is having more than its day as a medium for artistic advertising. On the streets of Shanghai in a world of nostalgia outside of time, Prada presents its spring/summer 2010 menswear collection in this spellbinding short film by Yang Dufong.

Do watch the film, but make sure to dim the lights, and prepare for magic realism in stark black and white.