Victoria Beckham Beckons

 
Tucked inside my subscription copy of April Vogue was a stand-alone magazine. I caught the words Spring and Vogue but didn't connect the title to Victoria Beckham and/or Target. Loved the shirtdress on the cover. The table of contents features shots of Victoria in a cute little black cap with ears. A figure on the inside cover wears a black dress with a pretty scalloped neckline. But wait a minute— something is off. This is not Victoria; she's definitely a plus-sized model. Scrolling down to info on the cover dress, I see it is $35. What??????? Are we missing a few 00s? Then it hits me. The tasteful black and white bulls eye next to her name signifies this is Victoria Beckham's collaboration with Target, available April 9.

 
News to me! But if I had known, I might have yawned. Target's collaborations have been less than thrilling lately, and Victoria Beckham is not a name that thrills. I've questioned her credentials as a designer. She looks good in everything, though who wouldn't weighing 94 pounds and on the arm of one of the planet's most handsome athletes? She also never smiles.

There is, however, something charming and fun about this collection. There are 200 pieces, ranging in size from XS to 3X, including styles for babies, toddlers and girls in five themed collections:
 

The vibe is playful and fun, with a nod to pop art, swinging London of the Mary Quant era and re-imagined English florals and paisleys.  “It just goes to show how fun the whole collaboration has been. This is about empowering women, empowering young girls, and making everybody feel like the best version of themselves, and having fun at the same time," explained Beckham. She was also inspired by motherhood and doing things with her six-year-old daughter Harper. In fact the many related designs may even bring back mother-daughter dressing.

Harper and Daddy

  
Nothing is over $70 with most pieces in the $20 to $40 range. Some of the collection will only be sold online, though for the first time plus sizes will be available in store. And I predict all of it will sell out soon.

Here are a few of my favorites. The romper may not come home with me, but I applaud its cheeky chic. Fortunately I can wiggle into a child's extra large, so the rain jacket might.

$35

$35

$28

$35

$30

$40

Best of all, there is also a coloring book, a sticker book and this:

How Do You Know When...

... you are a little too obsessed by Fashion? Perhaps that would be today, when I spied this lovely hand-dyed and fringed indigo scarf hanging on a post in a parking lot.

How sad, I thought. Someone has left behind a lovely scarf. And how thoughtful for someone else to have picked it up. I sure hope that person comes back for it...

Then of course I saw this:

 

Something Fishy about "Funny Face"

Mon Dieu!  March Harper's Bazaar has abducted stills from the 1957 film "Funny Face". They've been rejiggered to show off the season's new looks with some (purposely I assume) crude collageing and colorizing. It looks terrible, and what's the point?

Bazaar often mines its trove of Audreyiana. She was a favorite of one-time fashion editor Diana Vreeeland (who later became editor-in-chief of Vogue). Photographer Richard Avedon loved her (and vice versa). Diana loved Richard. And so it goes.

Not long ago Bazaar featured Audrey's granddaughter in photographs by Avedon's grandson. Nice attempt at an homage to the originals at least.

I think they tried too hard on this one. The drawings by Bernard Seindler superimposed on the photos are (purposely I assume) crude collages and colorized overlays. One dress even has paper doll tabs. Tiny photos of shoes, handbags and jewelry are strewn about. The quality of the stills is poor. Unless you were a fan of the movie you won't understand the context.

The film was in glorious Technicolor. All the lobby stills I found, unfortunately, were not.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You might say I should lighten up. I might mention that "Funny Face" has been a perfect candy box confection of a treat for 60 years and needs no updates. It also shouldn't be high-jacked in the name of Fashion. Below, evidence that Bazaar may have been extracting their revenge for this:

Dovima and Audrey reading on the set