A Midsummer Night’s Dream

The Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld Couture Spring/Summer 2013 Show was a gothic version of William Shakespeare’s « A Midsummer Night’s Dream ».

Other « A Midsummer Night’s Dream »-inspired collections or campaign : Badgley Mischka Spring/Summer 2013 (this collection was based on the haunting beauty of the Max Reinhardt and William Dieterle-directed «A Midsummer Night’s Dream» film), Blumarine Spring/Summer 2013 (STYLE.com wrote that this collection was reminiscent of a country-house costume-box production of « A Midsummer Night’s Dream »), Elspeth Gibson Spring/Summer 2013, Erdem Spring/Summer 2009 (this collection referenced images of the ’70s theater productions of « A Midsummer Night’s Dream »), Erdem Spring/Summer 2011 (to describe the makeup, by Andrew Gallimore for M.A.C, and the hair, by Charles Worthington for Wella, of this show, « Vogue » wrote that it was a mix between a Ballets Russes’s ballerina and a « Midsummer Night’s Dream »’s fairy), Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci Couture Autumn/Winter 2007-2008 (« British Vogue » wrote that this show was an exotic version of « A Midsummer Night’s Dream »), Henrik Vibskov Spring/Summer 2010 (« British Vogue » wrote that this collection was like a vanguard performance of « A Midsummer Night’s Dream »), Levi’s® (in 2005, the advertising film for the « 501 » jeans, with Anti-Form, directed by Noam Murro, was a contemporary version of « A Midsummer Night’s Dream »), Tristan Webber Spring/Summer 2002 (« A Midsummer Night’s Dream »-style show, presented at the David Gill Gallery, in London), Valentino by Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli Couture Autumn/Winter 2009-2010 (this collection echoed « A Midsummer Night’s Dream »), Yves Saint Laurent Couture Autumn/Winter 1980-1981 (not specifically influenced by « A Midsummer Night’s Dream », but this collection was an homage to William Shakespeare’s work), Zac Posen Autumn/Winter 2004-2005 (the pixie models who opened this show could have been taken from « A Midsummer Night’s Dream »).

Moreover, for his directed version of Stephen Sondheim’s « A Little Night Music », which opened on June 6, 2010 at the Opera Theater of St. Louis, Isaac Mizrahi drew inspiration from « A Midsummer Night’s Dream », and Alexander McQueen had the quote « Love looks not with the eyes but with the mind », from « A Midsummer Night’s Dream », tattoed on his arm.

Photo : Marcus Tondo / InDigitalteam / GoRunway