je suis amy.

remembrance of things past.

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 12:17:00 -0400

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

Encens 2011 now available!

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 08:52:15 -0400

Encens

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

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 10:55:58 -0400

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

photo: Mike Schreiber for LURVE magazine

clothing: Rick Owens

beauty of modesty

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 22:47:00 -0400

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

bits and pieces of Paris.

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 17:48:00 -0400

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

my first [minor] styling job

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 10:12:08 -0400

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

encens magazine's new direction

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 07:55:31 -0400

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.

via: The Imagist From an 1987 Yohji Yamamoto ad catalogue, shot...

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 14:47:47 -0400

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.

Um, YES! You are my frakking style icon!!

Fri, 09 Jul 2010 22:48:05 -0400

wow! Thanks!!

men's collections SS2011: Ann D, Boris Bidjan Saberi, Damir Doma

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 12:12:14 -0400

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.

men's collections SS2011: Julius, YSL, CDG Homme Plus, Givenchy

Sat, 26 Jun 2010 13:50:00 -0400

Julius

Tatsuro Horikawa of Julius, presented yet another rough and tough collection, working with his signature leather jackets and cargo pants. Though Horikawa tends to incorporate details that may have spilled over from a previous collection, the garments are not stale, at least not yet. It’s almost as if Horikawa approached his collection like a recipe adding a pinch of cayenne for flavoring in his soup of neutral tones.

YSL

Stefano Pilati alluded to the times where Monsieur Saint Laurent would vacation in Marrakesh with close friends, smoke hashish and take a break from the work load that the world of Parisian couture and pret-a-porter demanded. This was Pilati’s way of staying true to the essence of Saint Laurent himself, by infusing the North African culture that was very much a part of him (as he was born in Algeria and frequently vacationed in Morocco). Fez-like hats were coupled with single and double breasted jackets, nipped at the waist, in an array of desert tones and neutrals. The short-shorts seemed like another nod to YSL’s personal life, as he loved to wear them in his younger days. As much as this was a collection that reflected a bit of North African culture, it also served as an homage to Monsieur Saint Laurent. Pilati managed to intertwine his own vision with facets of YSL’s personal history whilst providing a brief cultural survey.

Comme Des Garcons Homme Plus

Just when we thought the plethora of man-skirts weren’t enough to drive the androgyny factor further, Rei Kawakubo one-upped everyone and did a full on man-dress. While we’ve seen men in dresses before from Rick Owens, Rei eliminated any traces of a man/woman barrier and is dressing her men in man-sized baby-doll dresses— flare, pleats and all. What fell flat in the collection, was Kawakubo’s use of disturbingly cliché prints, such as skulls and black and white-checkerboards, which resulted in a corny portrayal of punk-rock. However, in the middle the collection, simple, crisp looks (white dress-shirts and black, tapered, cropped trousers) came down and provided a small sigh of relief.

Givenchy

After being at the helm of the Givenchy house for 5 years now, Riccardo Tisci has really come into his own. There was an air of confidence that shone through his SS2011 collection, as he unapologetically sent out looks that were not for the bashful. Centered around leopard print, Tisci’s collection may have mirrored his fearlessness and new-found ferocity when it comes to fashion. The animal print against the impeccable tailoring plays on the idea of the duality between tame and wild, or classical and atypical. These kinds of paradoxes illustrate for Tisci, this is not just about clothing or aesthetics; he is opening up a discourse on the ethics of dressing.

men's collections SS2011: Dries Van Noten & Balenciaga

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 19:10:28 -0400

Dries Van Noten

Dries Van Noten, the master of prints, showed a beautifully edited and a well executed collection. Mixing sharp, streamlined, traditional suiting, with relaxed fits and casual fabrics, Van Noten gave his men options that could easily be worn interchangeably. He created a collection that will be well suited (no pun intended) for any man on the sartorial spectrum. The paint-splatter print on a white dress shirt seemed to Van Noten encouraging men to allow some breathing room within tradition suiting. There is and should be some leeway for individuality and personality. The acid wash effect was a great counterbalance to the more sophisticated looks. Aside from prints, and the mixing and matching of them, Van Noten is also very well versed in color. Peachy and sandy hues worked well with the heather grays and dusty blues. Mustards and light browns threaded them all together, curating a perfectly, un-cliché spring palette.

Balenciaga

Apparently, Nicholas Ghesquiére is still holding onto this futuristic theme that has been more pronounced in his women’s wear. He’s transplanted a bit of bit of that in his menswear, but it came through mostly in the materials used. The perforated cummerbunds, nylon jackets, shiny pants just did not bode well because for such a small collection, it was a bit overkill. Perhaps Ghesquiére should loosen his grip on the space age thing.

men's collections SS2011: Rick Owens

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 11:44:49 -0400

With white as the anchoring color, black and brown only served as instruments to form a defined palette; notably, this is probably the tightest palette from Owens in a while. But alarmingly, in the middle of all the subtle tones, a Gareth Pugh-esque, optical illusion print disturbs the peace. Perhaps this is more of Owens’ experimentation with prints. Uhh…

The collection began with some of Owens’ staples that followers of his are all too familiar with, such as the long, one-button coats. Along with his signatures, he showed variations of them, with minor tweaks; a long-sleeved coat conveniently turned into short sleeve, for instance. As the collection progresses it begins to resemble a montage of past seasons of both men’s and women’s collections infused together. It is no secret that Rick Owens likes to recycle the same silhouettes and ideas, with small changes here and there for a pinch of revitalization. For some RO aficionados, this is what draws them to him. However, the repeat button was pressed too many times and the collection ran the risk of becoming platitudinous. Sometimes what works one season, doesn’t always work the next or if it worked well for the women’s collection, doesn’t neccesarily mean it will work well for the men (i.e. the one shoulder tanks, note women’s SS2010). The androgyny aspect did not really work. Not this time.

Many of the garments are not even able to provide a sense of nostalgia because the silhouettes, from which these pieces are borrowed from, are still fresh in our minds; really they are no more than two seasons old. The mystique is gone and we are bored.

hills like white elephants

Fri, 18 Jun 2010 10:33:55 -0400

Celine resort 2011

Givenchy resort 2011

Lanvin resort 2011

Continuing on my discourse on the gravitation toward lighter colors, white is becoming more of my hue of choice. It’s association to purity and demureness could be part of the reason but not entirely. I think it’s beautiful on the body, no matter the complexion or skin tone. Just like when wearing black, wearing white makes you pay attention to shape and silhouette of the garment because there aren’t any distractions.

The lightness of white is always refreshing. It echoes nonchalance, but also a savoir faire at the same time. It’s interesting that a color can connote different things the way white does

I’m looking forward to incorporating more white in various silhouettes into my wardrobe for the summer.

more than just a pretty pattern

Sat, 12 Jun 2010 22:23:49 -0400

It is always interesting to see how different cultures with completely different paths and histories can meet and intersect in the name of art or fashion. For Spring/Summer 2010, Dries Van Noten presented a collection inspired by the vibrancy of African clothing, very similar to the garbs worn by women of the Hadza tribe in Tanzania, with quintessential prints and colors that reflected the culturally rich continent. There was a hybridity between the bourgeois and the third world; paradoxically beautiful and unsettling. While it was a beautiful homage, and the collection was well executed, there are two ways of looking at this: it can be looked at as a designer in love with a culture and is visually alluding to it, or simply taking a part of a people’s history and placing it in a context surrounding aesthetics and capitalism: the fashion world.

African culture continues to inspire so many facets of Western society serving as a patron for art, music, fashion, et al, however, the exchange between the two worlds are uneven. The West reaps more benefits while Africa perpetually receives the short end of the stick. One cannot help but think about how for the price of any of these runway pieces, the very people who inspired the collection could live and eat for months.

Junya Watanabe, another designer who has been inspired by African textiles and the way the garments are worn, showed his interpretation of African textiles for his SS2009 collection (the silhouettes were a little bit more authentic, in relation to those of Van Noten’s). The “borrowing “ of African culture and its transplant into modern art and fashion begs the question: do the clients/ customers who buy the clothes really understand the meaning behind it all? Odds are, most people buying these “African-inspired” pieces do not get past liking them on an aesthetic level, thus turning it into a “summer trend.” They do not know that there is an entire history behind the patterns and the colors, and the weaving and dying techniques that have been instilled in African culture for years.

While it is great to see globalization and the cross-breeding of cultures taking place on a fashion stage, people still need to take it upon themselves to learn and familiarize themselves with the culture they hold a piece of when buying a certain garment or artwork. Yes it’s beautiful, but there is more to it than that.

Dance Africa 2010 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. This was a...

Mon, 31 May 2010 22:26:00 -0400

Dance Africa 2010 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

This was a phenomenal performance. Made me want to book a flight to Senegal immediately. I miss Africa.

images:New York Times

videos: Amy Sall

more info:BAM

I love this image, and it has nothing to do with...

Thu, 27 May 2010 17:29:24 -0400

I love this image, and it has nothing to do with Daria.

Editorial: Indian Summers from Vogue UK June 2010

taupe, bone and earth tones

Thu, 27 May 2010 16:00:19 -0400

Celine SS2010

Damir Doma FW2010

Vanessa Bruno FW2010

Undercover FW2010

The color black plays a prominent role in my wardrobe. Sometimes it acts an anchor when I incorporate other colors, but for the most part, it usually stands alone. But, with that being said, I’m not pigeon held to it as others might be or think I might be. I enjoy wearing white and all kinds of grays, not much of a stretch I know, but I like to stay in a neutral zone. Lately, I’ve been gravitating towards earthy and neutral hues: taupe, camel, mauve, bone, et al. These are colors that are not too much of a departure from what I normally wear, but different enough to feel fresh, like a bit of a revitalization. Black is always safe and also alluring, but can be very one note when worn everyday.

The earthy colors can easily compliment and accent other colors effortlessly (and vice versa) in the same manner that black does. They give off a relaxed effect but can still maintain an expensive, chic look. I like that balance. Not saying I will abandon ship and stop wearing black; that’s kind of impossible for me and I’m assuming for most people who live in cosmopolitan cities. I am just expanding my color palette a bit with colors that will compliment my aesthetic, my skin tone and what I already have in my closet.

images via: WWD

Vogue Paris x Givenchy x Ciara

Sun, 23 May 2010 09:35:29 -0400

There have been a lot of raised eyebrows when people caught onto Ciara being Riccardo Tisci’s muse for Givenchy. Regardless of how “fit” or cut out people thought she was for this role, she delivers in the june/july 2010 issue of Vogue Paris. Shot by Mert & Marcus, the editorial envelops Ciara, draped in Givenchy Haute Couture, and a few of the Givenchy poster boys in a tale that binds sexual and religious motifs.

The editorial is visually cogent as a whole; there is not one thing that stands out alone. Everything works together seamlessly and beautifully which makes for a clear story that is executed well (can’t be said for many editorials these days).

images via: The Fashionisto

NºA featuring Dirk Van Saene

Sun, 02 May 2010 09:12:20 -0400

The lovely Dan Thawley of A MAGAZINE curated by, clued me in on their web launch of their ABCDE Featuring series. These archival gems were originally printed between 2001 and 2004, and served as A Mag’s precedents.

ABCDE launched its site on May 1st with the display the first issue in the series, NºA featuring Dirk Van Saene, a prominent Belgian designer who is part of the renowned “Antwerp Six”. The issue is full of beautiful, nostalgic black and white images of Van Saene’s work and inspirations.

Previous issues were:

NºA featuring Dirk Van Saene

NºB featuring Bernhard Willhelm

NºC featuring Hussein Chalayan

NºD featuring Olivier Theyskens

NºE featuring Viktor & Rolf

Be sure to keep an eye out for the releases of the rest of the ABCDE series in the future.