The December 2008 issue of British Vogue boldly declared, “Dream on.” Featuring Kate Moss draped in a cloud of Dior tulle, the ‘Fantastic Fashion Fantasy’ issue invited readers and contributors to embrace the boundless realms of imagination. This was a time when Karl Lagerfeld envisioned a masked ball with men in Tom Ford tails and women with tantalizingly ambiguous morals, the Rodarte sisters penned dreamscapes filled with Wednesday Addams, ruby slippers, and Billy the Kid, and David Bailey captured the surreal beauty of floral still-lifes.
Amidst this artistic revelry, it was Tim Walker who truly brought the fantastical to life. His contribution to the issue, a dark and captivating reimagining of Roald Dahl’s tales, starred none other than Tim Burton and his then-partner, Helena Bonham Carter. Vogue, recognizing Burton’s unique ability to tap into the subconscious, declared, “who else delves into the murky area of childhood, the subconscious and the fantastical more vividly than Burton?”
Walker, preparing for an exhibition at The Design Museum, shuttled between his London studio and the Colchester countryside to bring this vision to fruition. The resulting 26-page portfolio, brimming with whimsical characters, featured Dev Hynes as Willy Wonka, Karen Elson as the BFG, and Imelda Staunton as Aunt Sponge. The scene of Elson and Burton embodying the mischievous Twits remains a standout, a testament to the enduring power of Burton’s dark fairytale aesthetic.
Now, The Design Museum is poised to immerse visitors in Burton’s world with the retrospective exhibition ‘The World of Tim Burton.’ Opening on October 25th, the exhibition will showcase over 500 objects spanning Burton’s five decades in cinema, including Michelle Pfeiffer’s iconic Batman Returns costumes and his first impressionist sketches of the beloved Edward Scissorhands.
As ‘The World of Tim Burton’ opens its doors, revisiting British Vogue’s ‘Fantastic Fashion Fantasy’ issue provides a glimpse into the visionary filmmaker’s captivating world. The issue serves as a reminder of Burton’s ability to blend whimsy and darkness, to transport us to a realm where the fantastical becomes tangible, and where the boundaries between reality and imagination blur. The ‘Tales of the Unexpected’ photoshoot, a testament to Walker’s artistry and Burton’s enduring influence, continues to enchant and inspire.