remembrance of things past.

Time operates in an upward, linear trajectory, but how we experience life is in a cyclical manner. Moments are re-visited and recycled, there are the occasional deja-vu’s and experiences that constantly resurface. Fashion operates in the same way. Perhaps fashion is just one big Proustian experience all together because what contemporary fashion has proven is that the past is inescapable. No matter how much time passes, or how much the industry progresses, we are always reminded of certain moments, and instances. Whether intentional or subconscious, we can not deviate from what was already established. Many of what is seen in fashion today are allusions to works that were created decades ago.

 

Sheridan Barnett, 1971/Damir Doma FW2010

This then raises the notion that the progression of fashion is debatable. Motifs and themes that we come across in editorials and runways are derivatives of past moments; residual strands of the garments that preceded them. 

YSL Le Smoking/ Givenchy FW2010

Yves Saint Laurent’s Le Smoking, the grandaddy of androgynous fashion, gave way to the menswear in women’s wear trend and has undoubtedly informed the way many women dress and how designers design. Androgynous dressing, which many naïvely think is synonymous with Rick Owens or Ann Demeulemeester, arguably would not have been pushed to such heights without Le Smoking. The trickle-down effect is so prevalent in fashion, yet often the references go unnoticed.  Claude Montana had theatrics, asymmetry and sculpted shoulders before Gareth Pugh’s apocalyptic androids and Christophe Decarnin lit the fire of “Balmania.”  Just so we’re clear.

claude montana/Rick Owens SS2010




Comments (View)
Encens 2011 now available!

Encens



Comments (View)
for those interested in what I look like/what I wear, a sample for you. photo: Mike Schreiber for LURVE magazine clothing: Rick Owens

for those interested in what I look like/what I wear, a sample for you.

photo: Mike Schreiber for LURVE magazine

clothing: Rick Owens



Comments (View)
beauty of modesty

There are cultural and religious reasons why women cover themselves up around the world, which within of itself presents controversy. Looking at it through a feminist lens, some believe this is a form of female oppression because they are stifled by their culture’s rules and traditions. On the other hand this is viewed as a form of respect and modesty. Not to undermine these reasons or bring them down to just an aesthetic level, but regardless of the age old debate, there is a mystique that surrounds the women who cover themselves. This could be why this kind of look is perpetually translated and interpreted in fashion. That air of mystery is quite enchanting and the idea of beauty radiating without bearing skin is empowering.

images:National Geographic

runway images: YSL F/W 2010, Givenchy F/W 2009 couture, Rick Owens F/W 2010-style.com



Comments (View)
bits and pieces of Paris.

It was a great 2-week trip. Good food, good people, good times. Here are some quick shots of tidbits here and there. I will resume to posting regularly!

Diane Pernet

Dan Thawley, Bart Wynants and Damir Doma



Comments (View)
my first [minor] styling job

Here are a few shots from a shoot I worked on. It was shot by the amazing Ellinor Stigle who I swear is probably the sweetest person in the world, on top of being super talented. She had a great idea of shooting a turban story, but not in an overly styled/contrived way. She asked me to jump on board and style the boys in the turbans. It was a fun, easy shoot. The photos came out beautifully and totally natural.

models: Zach King and James Cox—Red Models



Comments (View)
encens magazine’s new direction

I love when I receive updates from Encens. Those who know the magazine are very familiar with the concept.  Editors/founders, Samuel Drira and Sybille Walters, feature a different designer/theme every issue and create some of the most beautiful editorials and powerful articles. The magazine continues to evolve and gain momentum with every issue. With that being said, beginning September 2010 they are going in a new direction. For starters they are switching from a bi-annual publication to a more exclusive once a year release. For collectors like myself, chasing down the magazine will be even more exciting; thrill of the chase kind of thing. Waiting for a new issue to come out every year will be worth it because there will be 400 incredible pages of inspiration to flip through and possibly salivate over. BE SURE TO GET A COPY.



Comments (View)
via: The Imagist From an 1987 Yohji Yamamoto ad catalogue, shot by Nick Knight This just goes to show that advertisements/ad-campaigns don’t need to be bogged down with excess. I love this one from Yohji because it upholds artistic integrity and sells the garments at the same time. Understated, yet thought out, simple yet alluring. Capitalism has become such a driving force in ad campaigns (naturally) that creativity often gets muddled in the effort to sell clothing. It was so refreshing to stumble upon this and know there was a time where creativity and vision weren’t sacrificed. I’m also reminded of  Kara Walker when I look at this, though this preceded her work. 

via: The Imagist

From an 1987 Yohji Yamamoto ad catalogue, shot by Nick Knight

This just goes to show that advertisements/ad-campaigns don’t need to be bogged down with excess. I love this one from Yohji because it upholds artistic integrity and sells the garments at the same time. Understated, yet thought out, simple yet alluring. Capitalism has become such a driving force in ad campaigns (naturally) that creativity often gets muddled in the effort to sell clothing. It was so refreshing to stumble upon this and know there was a time where creativity and vision weren’t sacrificed. I’m also reminded of  Kara Walker when I look at this, though this preceded her work. 



Comments (View)

sonrei asked: Um, YES! You are my frakking style icon!!

wow! Thanks!!




Comments (View)
men’s collections SS2011: Ann D, Boris Bidjan Saberi, Damir Doma

Ann Demeulemeester

The military motif is omnipresent in Demeulemeester’s collection season after season and SS 2011 is no exception. This time she really let the garments and silhouettes speak for themselves. Without the intrusion of her usual use of accessories, (no feathers, necklaces, et al), simplicity reigned supreme. This season, there was more of a focus on the structure. The garments were cut close to the body, emphasizing a sleekness and creating sharp lines. The collection also rang a chivalrous bell with her what appeared to be fencing jackets. 

Boris Bidjan Saberi

Boris Bidjan Saberi presented a collection fit for an incursion. A warrior, take-no-prisoners theme played a heavy hand in many of looks. It was a collection executed with severity and fervor, projecting a strong attitude. Perfectly disheveled looks, were layered unsystematically, placing more emphasis on the rugged demeanor of the collection. What is worrisome, however, is the fact that perhaps the styling of the show maybe outshone the individual pieces. Let’s hope not.

Damir Doma

Like a tribe of nomadic herdsman, Damir Doma’s men came down the runway in heavily layered garbs in a range of (mostly full) silhouettes. The layering in Damir Doma’s collections is an integral part of his design aesthetic, building upon and manipulating shapes like legos. In that respect,  Doma’s  approach to fashion veers slightly on architectural, but with a special attention to movement and mobility.



Comments (View)
string(6) "amyamy"