Hecate

My all time style inspiration is the Marchesa Casati and every day as I glance through my wardrobe I regret not having been born into the aristocracy and not seeing my rail laden with ermine furs ready to be draped around my shoulders by a gilded slave.
And as great minds so often think alike, she has also served as the muse for several fashion designers, including John Galliano, Karl Lagerfeld and Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig (who set up the Marchesa clothing label in homage).

The hair & make-up at the Chanel Cruise Collection 2010 referenced La Casati, while the outfits were said to be influenced by Peggy Guggenheim (my favourites are the two on the right - always love classic Chanel monochrome, and the idea of wearing one colour top-to-toe is something I'm keen to try out).

Snakeskin, furs and peacock feathers at Marchesa.

And finally, some recent-ish photographs of Tilda Swinton as the Marchesa from the A/W09 issue of Acne Paper...

All of these images are serving as reference points for my own Casati-themed photoshoot which I'm planning. I want to take the dark glamour and female dandy aesthetic but show her as a different, later incarnation. I don't want to give away too much, but watch this space . x