Ode a Vivienne

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Photographed by Iota Ultsch

Iota Ultsch for Très Jolie: "Ode à Vivienne"

Doing something a little different today. Iota Ultsch of Tres Jolie asked me several weeks ago if she could style and shoot her Ode to Vivienne dress on me. So today, you get to see how the designer envisions her dress being worn and styled – though within the limitations of my inventory — which  was disappointingly (for her) lacking in wild punk hair. I may be wrong, but I think the reason this was particularly important for her to style and shoot is that Vivienne Westwood and her husband Malcolm MacLaren, more than other designers, inspired her aesthetic and design more intimately and deeply than other influences. Here, then, is her Ode a Vivienne in Lolly.

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The detail on the back is extraordinary, as is the marvelous belt. Normally, I edit and adjust my clothes myself – but because she was right there, she edited the pieces specifically to my shape, something she does for many of her clients, and i have to say it is fun to put on an outfit that is custom-fitted. You can see many of the themes of punk fashion in this dress – the heavy belt, the use of tartan.  So far away from the birth of punk as we are today, we don’t remember the revolution that Westwood brought to fashion. This homage does a small part to remind us.

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Sheer pantyhose and Bax Coen boots give the outfit a finished look, as do the earrings – Mace Earrings, punkily enough, from Kongo Designs. After trying on upteen hair styles, her preference was this short spiky cut from Boon. You probably have noticed this is a sculpty skirt and many people fear them – aware that sculpties move oddly. However, this was constructed in a way that avoids that horizontal flapping about and embarrassment. It helps that it is short and punky, but it also helps that it is well-thought out about how that scultpy will move with the average AO.

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She said dramatic makeup, so I put on Mink from Gala’s new Vixen line which so suited the look she wanted, she didn’t even ask to look at another. Yay!
****STYLE NOTES******
Promotional Copies are denoted by a Bold R

  • Poses: Vista Animations Perfect Lady AO
  • Skin: Gala Vixen Mink
  • Eyes: Poetic Color Night Forest
  • Lashes: CyberNetic
  • Nails: Candy Nail
  • Hair: Boon ICH298
  • Dress: Iota Ultsch for Très Jolie: “Ode à Vivienne” R
  • Tights: Sheer Tights 07
  • Shoes: Bax Coen Black Patent Ankle Boots
  • Jewelry:  Kongo Designs Mace Earrings

3 thoughts on “Ode a Vivienne”

  3. iota ultsch

    Wow Casja! You look good enough to eat, [if I was a gay cannibal…LOL!]

    Thank you for this lovely blog post. As you said, both Malcolm + Vivienne were a tremendous inspiration in my early days as a fashion designer…particularly Malcolm McClaren who mentored and encouraged me to pursue haute couture.

    Ah, those were the days! What the hell am I doing architecture for? LOL xxx

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