Lady Blue Shanghai
7:06 PM
By Beatrice Jeschek
Fashion meets Hollywood: David Lynch (Blue Velvet, Mulholland Drive) directs an Internet movie for Dior’s “Lady Blue Shanghai” handbag.
It is blue, it is pretty – and it is the central mystic artifact in a sixteen minute long advertising spot directed by David Lynch. The famous inventor of dark subconscious worlds without any narrative conventions has now served Dior’s “Lady Blue Shanghai”.
Lynch is the master of avoiding chronology in time and place. He sends his instable characters into a parallel universe and insists of not bringing them back. When Oscar-winning Marion Cotillard wanders along the corridors of a desolate hotel in Shanghai, the line between dream and reality gets blurred.
Suddenly, there is Tango music. The French actress, representing the modern age and traditional beauty, enters her hotel room. The radio is on. Somebody must have been here.
Even hardcore fashion addicts might ask – why?
For a long time, luxury brands hesitated to enter the online market. Too much style and influence could be lost on the way into the culture of cyberspace freedom and sharing philosophy. Buying a handmade unique piece of haute couture on net-a-porter.com? Unthinkable.
Unfortunately, sixteen minutes can be very long in the world of advertisement. Especially when the suspense act does not work as usually and “fans” can voice critics openly (remember, it is online).
However, Dior is not the only traditional high-end fashion house that tries to establish itself online with expensively produced short films. Chanel, Prada, Louis Vuitton – all luxury brands live on exclusive features. It is an illusion that blends along just fine with the movie dream fabric.
See below "Lady Blue Shanghai" (China 2010, David Lynch):
This article was first published 30/08/2010 on maltastar.com.
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| © Christian Dior |
Fashion meets Hollywood: David Lynch (Blue Velvet, Mulholland Drive) directs an Internet movie for Dior’s “Lady Blue Shanghai” handbag.
It is blue, it is pretty – and it is the central mystic artifact in a sixteen minute long advertising spot directed by David Lynch. The famous inventor of dark subconscious worlds without any narrative conventions has now served Dior’s “Lady Blue Shanghai”.
Lynch is the master of avoiding chronology in time and place. He sends his instable characters into a parallel universe and insists of not bringing them back. When Oscar-winning Marion Cotillard wanders along the corridors of a desolate hotel in Shanghai, the line between dream and reality gets blurred.
Suddenly, there is Tango music. The French actress, representing the modern age and traditional beauty, enters her hotel room. The radio is on. Somebody must have been here.
This is the ultimate mixture of Hollywood glamour and high-end fashion. The Lady Dior handbag, classy and originally named after Lady Diana, got a whole online movie trilogy (all with icon Marion Cotillard first as Lady Noir, second as Lady Red and now, Lady Blue).First, a sizzle: A bolt of lightning. Then a white cloud embraces a blue handbag. A blue rose and lost love somewhere between the Pearl Tower and old Shanghai, and Lynch quietly ends his path of commercialism.
Even hardcore fashion addicts might ask – why?
For a long time, luxury brands hesitated to enter the online market. Too much style and influence could be lost on the way into the culture of cyberspace freedom and sharing philosophy. Buying a handmade unique piece of haute couture on net-a-porter.com? Unthinkable.
Like the hushed version of a loud artificial TV spot: “Psst, please buy!”Movies are supposed to carry the message of desired exclusiveness. Twirl art around a commercial product; add a Hollywood beauty and voilà – there you have the soft sell.
Unfortunately, sixteen minutes can be very long in the world of advertisement. Especially when the suspense act does not work as usually and “fans” can voice critics openly (remember, it is online).
However, Dior is not the only traditional high-end fashion house that tries to establish itself online with expensively produced short films. Chanel, Prada, Louis Vuitton – all luxury brands live on exclusive features. It is an illusion that blends along just fine with the movie dream fabric.
See below "Lady Blue Shanghai" (China 2010, David Lynch):
This article was first published 30/08/2010 on maltastar.com.
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