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01 31 2012

STYLE VS. SOUND: LANA DEL REY

my connection to music has always come before my connection to fashion. as a child, i would sit in front of the television watching whitney houston videos on MTV, admiring her voluminous hair & the paint splattered music video direction for ’how will i know’. these moments weren’t me as a child, during toddler years, but as an infant. in my attraction to music, i’ve been able to directly associate style with sound. i’ve said it multiple times- sound inspires style for me. what i find particularly interesting about music, is the incredible need for image; especially in today’s industry. here in america, that concept of ‘image’ has significantly taken over- artists are able to transcend onto billboard through great style, while lacking actual substance & talent. it’s no secret, image is everything. not just in america, but around the world. there exists this small percentage of artists that have substance, talent & are able to serve an image so slick that it cuts into your heart. there also exists a percentage of artists who have the talent but falter in the industry through lack of a proper image. these individuals exist where true art lives. in 2011, females dominated the charts & as early as it has been in this new year, a few key artists have been generating a buzz in the vein of style versus sound.

among that small percentage of artists of the new school is lana del rey. after causing a stir on the indie circuit last year, LDR has been readying the release of her first major label released album, in the form of the highly anticipated “born to die“. out today, january 31st, i have said it numerous times- lana del rey is america’s answer to adele. before you start throwing discs of “21” at me, sit back & let me count the ways in which i feel. in america, the need for astounding image, sexualized presence & diversified inspiration is needed. beyond a want, the reason these types of artists are needed in america lies in the culture. speaking more specifically to the need for diversified inspiration; america has become a multi-cultural melting pot. most individuals i know are of mixed raced, combined ethnicity or have been born in other regions beyond the united states. in school, i’ve been fortunate enough to be in the presence of such company. it’s easy for those born in america to lose their sense of heritage amidst the heavily influenced culture that america has become. with my mother & grandparents arriving in united states in the late 60′s, the term ‘that’s the american way’ was heard often. overtime, in the last 40 years, we’ve successfully intergrated into american society. while our traditions & cooking still in tact, other than my grandmother & grandfather, none of my relatives have an accent & cannot be as easily placed, ethnically, as other individualized. we’ve become americanized. in growing up, we learned the difference between our more ethnic ways & how to differentiate them from the caucasian forms of behavior that were expected of us from society. being of combined ethnicity, i learned etiquette from one side of my family & learned ways of humility, struggle & preservation from another. this portion of learning for me is what made & makes me who i am. through my own life, i’ve looked to represent myself in what i believe is american. through pride, strives to be the best & in execution. in looking for where i fit in society, ethnically, i have been able to identify with more diverse forms of style, inspiration & sound. i often look for the same themes of diversity from my own life in my own stylized interests. what i’ve grown attracted to, musically & fashionably, often represent this theme of diversity. i feel as though musical artists are the best reflection of the culture & lana del rey’s sound emulates this. her sound is not easily placed, much like me & my family, but is still distinctively american in it’s saturation of varied influences. creatively, forms of symbollism that appear be intertwined in lana’s video imagery, sound references & even just her vocal delivery, represent a diversified artist who has directly been impacted, not only by music & style, but by the culture. for the more simple minded, she’s different. del rey represents the difference- the widely inspired in the overexposed, commercial music game.

in recent years, we’ve seen an uproar of new artists who have gone to greater lengths to conceptualize certain image directions with the help of more consistent image delivery through sound, advertising & overall branding. artists like amy winehouse, janelle monae & lady gaga have been a few key players in promoting these forms of musical direction. sound & style, in today’s market, have collided head on. artists are viewed as, well, artists- more than ever. these leaders of the new school have made it nearly impossible for lacking industry prototypes to even enter the charts as everything polished & poised seems to take center stage. adele’s debut album, “19″ (2008) went quadruple platinum in her native of london & the follow up, “21″ (2011), is now the best selling digital album of all time in the united states; also landing #1 in 26 different countries. both albums were promoted through sleek, modern yet classic styling as the sound of the album was driven by inspiration of motown. amy winehouse, another great of the united kingdom, had noted success on her debut album, “frank” (2003) , which seen winehouse taking on aspects of jazz & fusing them with influences of hip-hop & soul music. for winehouse’s follow up album, “back to black” (2006) she took inspiration from girl groups of the 60′s & created a breakthrough album which took home the grammy for record of the year & song of the year that same year. amy’s image of troubled, beehived & bad ass was in full effect following the release of “back to black”. it blurred the lines of image & reality so well that it actually contributed to the success of her album & it’s lead single, aptly titled, ”rehab“. janelle monae, whom hit the scene with a set of concept albums in 2007, released albums in the form of suites. monae’s image of android, baby doll, soul singer has had noted success in music & mindful attention to image is to credit for monae’s signature tuxedo. the consistency of her sound, as it impacts her style, has garnered the singer grammy nominations for best contemporary R&B album, as well as a nomination for her 2010 single, “tightrope”; which was also nominated for a grammy under best urban/alternative performance. most famous of all the image driven artists of our modern musical age, hands down, is lady gaga. her larger than life, performance-art stage presence & big budget talent that backs it; has catapulted her to the top of the dance & pop charts, keeping her in the press, on the blogs & on the covers of the countless magazines, every year since her debut in 2008. with a string of grammy, MTV, billboard music, american music & world music award wins to her credit- gaga has single handedly proven that image is, indeed, everything. her 2008 debut album, “the fame“, got her just that- fame. equipped with a disco stick, platinum blonde hair & piano skills that slay- gaga has cited david bowie, madonna, michael jackson & queen as her image & sonic influences. while each artist is a complete & separate package from one another- all exist in the same lane due to their manipulation of style.

in no attempts to discredit the talents of adele, but with the intent to contrast as a reference of the united kingdom’s own; i feel that lana del rey is america’s answer to adele. with what adele has accomplished, musically, in mind- the american recording industry would be silly not to respond to this beckoning call from our friends across the pond. being the american answer, lana is backed by beautiful production, an artists’ mentality & appears to thrive in a wealth of musical inspiration that ranges from eminem to britney spears to frank sinatra- all american. much like winehouse, who was then followed by adele, lana’s image is an homage to a certain style era & that look is clearly translated through every aspect of her image from production influences, to album artwork, magazine spreads & music videos. it’s the painting of an artist, that’s what branding has become. that’s what branding is intended to be. to clearly mark separation through distinction- both artists, adele & del rey, exist in the same lane in terms of overall image- their theme, their delivery & their method of execution. not in the same lane, identically, visually- but in the same lane considering that both use image as a motor to drive their sound. as we’ve seen, this pattern of stylized acts have surfaced over the course of the last few years & upon debut, most have record shattering resumes that continue to flourish each year. lana is the latest type to hit the scene & hard. this month, in anticipation of the album, she graces the cover of interview magazine in russia & germany, as well as a cover for billboard magazine & marc ecko’s complex, to name a few. with a gang of interviews & images floating around the internet, lana is well placed in a catagory of music that seems to be hungry for what she has to offer. with her album hitting stores today, it’s already hit #1 in 11 countries & currently sits atop itunes as the #1 album in the united states. the method in which de rey uses symbollism through her music videos, plus her ability to poetically fragment words to inspire style, this will prove to be a winning combination.

when listening to the album, the feel of cinema is ever present. you cannot listen to lana’s debut record without the feel of escapism. you become enveloped in the production- entranced by the fantasy of the image that lana paints with her voice. often lyrically based in the depths of despair, through emotion that we try to forget; you can’t help but become immersed in the music which suddenly means so much more when you actually see lana sing. as it relates to fashion, del rey has proved to be quite the favorite; performing at christian dior’s beijing runway show & being heard as the runway soundtrack to the houses’ haute couture show, just last week. boasting song titles like “blue jeans”, “video games” & ”national anthem” – the american theme is filtered in & out of lana’s image, inspiringly. in the way that adele has become the new face of british music, inspired by another time & effortlessly assasinating the charts, i believe lana represents this same feat, from an american standpoint. through powerful style, sexually-tinged lyrical undertones & addictive use of language- lana is all the things the american market is looking for but is too afraid to give way for. as the first of many installments to follow, lana del rey is one artist whom does not settle with just a sound or just style, rather she successfully merges the two in such a way that greater forms of creative artistry are shown & represented in the mainstream. it’s these artists that allow our musical culture to progress. [source]

01 30 2012

THE SPRING CHANEL CAMPAIGN

very few designers will ever reach the status of the house of chanel. over time, the house have proved to be groundbreaking for their slashing of the pre-established, coco chanel being cited as the first to use black as a fashion color through the birth of the little black dress. now, in the modern day industry, for nearly 30 years, karl lagerfeld has successfully taken the reigns at the iconic house, keeping it in the news & on trend with the latest celebrity faces, in an effort to dominate the luxury market- which it has. the house has become known for using the biggest & brightest faces of fashion & film for various advertising. their most iconic face in history? marilyn monroe. who was the first major face for the brand, used for it’s no. 5 fragrance. along with actresses keira knightly & nicole kidman; it’s always exciting to see which faces karl will choose season after season. while very few discussions of chanel can be made without the constant use of ‘iconic’; i feel that in recent years the house has won by default. during show season, chanel’s shows are always a hot ticket & with good reason, considering the houses place in fashion history. but for me, i’ve been consistently underwhelmed by the houses couture & ready-to-wear concepts. no doubt, largerfeld is a master showman; he delivers some of the greatest show ideas, which seemingly overshadow the clothes or act as a method of distraction considering the clothes them selves are the same, conceptually, each season. that said, my side eye of the collections simmers by the time campaigns roll around & i actually really loved the direction & casting of chanel’s summer/spring 2012 campaign.

joan smalls has been a name that has floated around the industry for a minute. while it may seem as though ms. smalls has gained overnight notoriety, rapidly garnering an undeniable presence in high fashion; most cases of ‘overnight’ anything are only the ending of a prelude of struggle, hesitation, fear & missed opportunity. for joan, her career initially took off with more commercial forms of modeling & then transformed overtime to the now high end work that she does. as one model i’ve watched very closely in the past couple of years, considering all that she has become involved with now- im stunned that joan has yet to grace the cover of any international vogue, in her own solo cover. as only the second female model to be cast for the chanel campaign, following brandi quinoñes who appeared for chanel circa 1994, joan appears beautifully alongside one of lagerfeld’s faves, saskia de brauw. saskia has proven to be a favorite of karl’s, infamously he’s had no qualms about having his favored do just about everything he’s involved with, appearing for his KARL diffusion line look book, as well as an appearance for chanel’s resort 2012 campaign. as for joan, this chanel campaign was one of the first to debut for the spring advertising season & more campaigns she was cast for are surfacing as well. with karl’s love for greyscaled imagery living & breathing once again, the campaign is well conceptualized & proves to be cohesive from the collection’s inspiration & even the runway shows production & set design. sea shells, sea horses & pearlized tones were seen scattered all throughout the collection & that same oceanic/seashore aesthetic is beautifully captured in this campaign. the house of chanel has become distinctively associated with masculine design lines, which are well represented in the collection, as well as those lines being showcased in the campaign. aside from the clearly referenced seaside theme, i loved the use of gymnastic banisters & how strong a presence both girls have, both in their solo & coupled shots. overall, the casting of the campaign is what sets it apart from the rest. as thrilled as i was to see joan walking the runway for this collection, i am even more thrilled to see her being cast for major luxury campaigns, like chanel. not only an accomplishment for her portfolio, but as an accomplishment for the further diversification of ethnic models in the mainstream, joan has allowed another dimension of beauty to be represented. for that, joan remains a star in my eyes & i continue to support, promote & commend her incredible work. go behind the scenes with joan & saskia on the shoot of the spring campaign here.

01 29 2012

THE SPRING VALENTINO CAMPAIGN

what yo’ name iz? fei fei sun, bette franke, zuzanna bijoch, maud welzen, clement chabernaud

“fashion is a dream, and in this moment we need dreams” said pier paolo piccioli about this collection when interviewed during the spring show season in paris. 20th century mexico & images by deborahg turberville were seen on the collection’s moodboard for the collection, and interestingly- deborah turberville shot this campaign. with turbeville behind the lens, karl templer styled the campaign, beautifully. shot on location in pozos, mexico; the campaign intends on aesthetically representing poetic femininity through cited inspiration of artist, actresses & the fantasy of fashion imagery. a shift in direction, aesthetically, in comparison to the houses’ last campaign, i love the raw, natural feel that is seen in this campaign. considering that the fall show season is approaching & haute couture just wrapped, i felt that this spring campaign would be a good segue following the close of spring couture. in identifying relativity from campaigns & collections, this marks the first of many campaigns for my bout of spring advertising coverage.

in terms of cohesion, the same inspiration that was the catalyst for their couture collection, is slightly mirrored in what the house of valentino has also been inspired by, in their designs of ready-to-wear. that inspiration being that natural, soft, garden aesthetic. slightly unkept hair & soft braids wrapped each of the model’s heads cast in the campaign, through the hair styling work of mark hampton. make-up was kept simple & chic by pierre orlando, whom repeated that natural direction the house is inspired by so much in this phase; also adding a statement lip for contrast of the overtly simplified. overall, the campaign is one that digresses from the usually dark, heavy glamour that so many other big labels are doing. while i had hoped for something more glamourous, i fully appreciate what valentino is doing & more than identify, as well as value their direction as it relates to their stated inspiration. the opposition from what other labels are doing definitely creates a wider path of design & visionary disctinction. [source]

01 26 2012

COUTURE COLLECTION: VALENTINO

PARIS - of the many collections presented around the world, each year & season, the house of valentino is one i’ve become most affectionate towards. the house of valentino is one that i was always aware of & overtime, i’ve become much more aware. aware in the sense of the brand’s history, it’s development, it’s hardships & the point of valentino’s own retirement from the company; as well as the reasoning behind it. an in-depth knowledge of any fashion house, i feel, is necessary in order to really appreciate a direction, archival references or even trends. in the realm of haute couture, techniques take the place of trends as the traditional & historically valued take center stage before anything else. this season, the house of valentino continues to build a digital presence, as this season’s collection was the first ever couture live stream. the presence of film & media are currently surrounding the house, from my perception. upon valentino garavani’s retirement, the house has seen radical, modern changes in areas of style, branding & advertising. a move which has to be benefiting the house, granted i think they’re doing a really dope job at things. it’s always tricky when a fashion house enters a transformation, or goes through an image overhaul or, for lack of better articulation, a make-over. the modern transformation the house has taken on definitely takes into consideration the houses history & preserves the value of design that was put fourth by valentino himself.

speaking again in reference to the connections to film, remember that awareness of valentino’s history i mentioned? most of that uncovering of truth about the fashion house was discovered in my viewing of the documentary, ‘valentino: the last emperor‘. the documentary sheds a great deal of light on the rise & fall of valentino, while uncovering how ugly & tragic it can be for true artists & designers working in fashion, transitioning from the old ways of the industry, to the now much more globalized format. from the purchased stakes by luxury investment groups, to seeing the atelier bicker about construction of gowns; to valentino’s last runway show- everything was shown. the frustration, the glamour, the history & the future- it was all touched upon. it was that connection & understanding that really reshaped my perception of the house. what i love of current valentino creative directors, maria grazia chiuri & pier paolo piccioli, is their awareness. with the two working at the house under valentino himself, prior to their promotion; they honor the values & legacy of the italian label, which i completely admire. while sitting & watching the live stream, i welcomed the collection into my psyche. this season, i wanted to take more time to focus on each houses inspiration. i think an overall vision of a collection is better translated when you understand what was looking to be represented through design. the recurring theme of film again devoured this inspired collection even further.

upon seeing the valentino documentary, i decided to really bulk up on films that inspire me. in close reference to who i have become inspired by, people i have come into contact with; i’ve had strong connections to image, style & music but none as strongly established to film. over the last year & a half, i’ve been collecting films that represent a form of nostalgia for me or allow me to see something i haven’t seen before or just inspire my love of style & art, my love for design & aesthetics. amongst my collection are an assortment of fashion documentaries, historic re-tellings & concert DVD’s. usually, in an effort to stay inspired, i just let them play, while i continue to do other things- i’ve seen every one multiple times & really only am interested in films that make me feel a certain way. through glamour, through love, through vulnerability, through triumph. one of the films? sofia coppala’s marie antoinette. i remember one day, alone in my room, i sat while the film just played. i remember hearing the same piano rift from kanye west’s “blame game”, from his ‘my beautiful dark twisted fantasy’ album. while the film played in the background, the sound of that rift stopped me. i sat, just staring at the screen- taking in the scene thinking of the creative process & how kanye must’ve heard this same rift from the film, which then provoked him to use it for his album. i posted a tweet of my discovery but due to lack of enthusiasm from my followers, ended up deleting the tweet. as others who’ve followed my work or me, as a personality, can attest; i’ve been very vocal about coppola’s antoinette, finding aesthetic inspiration in the costumes & setting of the film. while watching this season’s valentino couture live stream, as floral print from the collection began to hit the runway; delicate & feminine as if from another time, i thought to myself. “reminds me of marie antoinette”, then the same kanye sampled rift played during the show’s runway soundtrack. immediately, i sat up, much like i did upon my own discovery of the sample during the film. avril 14th, played by richard james. from the original motion picture soundtrack of sofia coppola’s marie antoinette. reading up on the inspiration of the collection, there it was- thirteenth century marie antoinette, in her garden of versailles was listed as this season’s inspiration for the collection.

there is a scene in the film that really struck a cord with me. in the story, marie antoi, as she was affectionately called by her mother, would meet regularly with a dress maker & hair stylist. in one scene, kirsten dunst, whom played the french queen, met with her dress maker & said, “i want something more simple, natural- to wear in the garden”. this soon followed an extensive garden scene. content & at peace, that same feeling is what i felt seeing the collection. the fact that i am able to pin point where the sound, style & film references come from is amazing. in this wide world of inspiration i’ve created for myself, immersed in sound, style & imagery- a sense of accomplishment. as an artist, i was able to translate a complete & total vision, delivered through design & sound. from milan, through a computer screen- i interpreted their vision, spot on. it’s these moments, these mere glimpses of creativity; that act as reassurance for the artist that i have become & the artist i am meant to be. while i could talk about the flowing florals, or compare this season to last couture season- i won’t. i’ll let you interpret the collection as you want. simply put i was stunned by the collection for it’s direction & loved every moment of the eleven minute show. collections like these are why fashion exists- they take inspiration from one place & house them for a world of people to see- vulnerably allowing them to be either persecuted or praised- much like marie antoinette. the symbolism that i am able to define, the connection i am artistically able to identify- that. is. fucking. fashion. [source]

01 26 2012

COUTURE COLLECTIONS: ELIE SAAB

PARIS – faultless glamour through refined sophistication is what we get, each season, from elie saab. a lebanese designer who you’ve seen worn on the back of iconic actresses like halle berry as well as beyoncé, celine dior, rihanna, mila kumis, catherine zeta jones & royal princesses, queens & duchesses from around the globe. as of may 2003, saab became an offical member of the chambre syndicale de la haute couture, showing his first couture collection just two months later in paris. launching his label at the age of 18, from his workshop in lebanon, saab is a self-trained designer with an undeniable eye for elegance & glamour. now based in paris, with workshops in milan as well as his native of lebanon; saab continues to produce consistent quality & some of the best gowns seen on the red carpet. much like other designers this couture season, florals proved to be the spring inspiration for the season.

incredibly detailed beading & lightweight gowns are saab’s specialty, as made visible yet again this season. whereas repetition might wear thin on my impressions of collections from season to season, i find a sense of wonder in saab’s work; often times looking for his signature silhouettes or how he has refined certain concepts, techniques or looks. always an immediate win in palette, this season’s collection hosted a range of milky tones that were introduced with a set of white, that set of white soon cooled to a set of iced teal. beautifully, the icey toned teals became heated when a masking of blushed tones entered the set, eventually cooling to a prelude of nudes. the nudes warmed to a set of yellows which then cooled again into a set of blue. the collection closed with it’s bridal finale look, which was worn by toni garrn in a fade out in the tone most often associated with ultra-femininity, pink. in the collection, i loved most the looks in white- considering how minimalist i am about everything. there’s something about in a woman in white that is so powerful to me. the sense of purity, refinement- fantasy. whether worn or lighter complexions, golden browns & darker skin tones- white radiates & those looks, i feel, are completely timeless. overall, the collection serves it’s purpose, though no new ground was broken.

though a familiar set of designs were seen here, what i love about elie saab’s collections is the amount of beauty held in the collection. even in saab’s ready-to-wear collections, there is extensive attention paid to what makes a woman look beautiful. amidst a transitory period as a digitally based writer, i have been looking to only represent the best of the best, leaving only room for what i love here on my site. you may have noticed that haute couture collections from mega iconic fashion houses like chanel, armani & jean paul gaultier were not reviewed this couture season. this, i assure you, was intentional. for the past few years i’ve been writing here, i have felt an obligation to contribute valued pieces of writing on the most important houses in fashion, internationally. after years of doing this, i feel it necessary to review only the greatest collections, in an effort to better refine my approach & to, well, save me some time. im not willing to fuck with anything less than dope, creatively. elie saab is one of those designers that is incredibly dedicated to the beauty i, myself- as a writer, am dedicated to represent. as i near my last review for the SS12 haute couture season, i wanted to mention that no collections are ignored nor forgotten any season, each collection is seen & thoughtfully placed here for your valuable eyes to see. collections that represent a dimension of outstanding creativity have greater value to me & as a writer, in the context of fashion, i feel it necessary to give these designers, producing these collections; more of the spotlight as often as possible. as you know, each season is a hit or miss- what’s horrible this season can be incredibly chic the next, so on & so fourth. im always looking for collections that showcase surreal & an almost impossible sense of beauty, which in turn feels absolutely possible. i feel that elie saab represents that, completely. it’s those designers that push us as creatives- whether stylists or celebrities, writers or magazine editors; to reach even further for not just the hottest thing, but for the most beautiful. it’s all expression & execution- saab killed it. [source]

01 26 2012

COUTURE COLLECTIONS: STÉPHANE ROLLAND

PARIS - seemingly merging the popularization of more minimal concepts to haute couture technique, the stéphane rolland haute couture collection was one of my favorites this season. at the age of 20, rolland became creative director of menswear at french fashion house, balenciaga, where he remained for 4 years. soon following, rolland parted ways with balenciaga & became artistic director of couture at jean-louis scherrer, in 2008. rolland’s first namesake couture collection made it’s debut in 2007, after he became an official member of the chambre syndicale de la caute couture, which allows labels to bare the prestigious title of, haute couture. in 2009, rolland officially introduced his leather goods collections with plans to unveil an accessories line, april 2012. as a creative force floating a bit under the radar compared to other designers, i feel like people sleep on stéphane. as evidenced in this collection, his attention & design resume more than qualify him to be a fighting force in the hum drum world of fashion repition. with his flourishing designs of couture, rolland is also a costume designer & that sense of theatricality, that attraction to dramatic silhouettes- it’s all seen in the way he designs & how those designs are executed.

usually, with couture- designers take one of two approaches. there’s the timeless, classic appeal often seen at houses like christian dior, valentino or chanel. then you have this new wave of more modern designers like iris van herpen or givenchy. both sides of the spectrum will thoughtfully combined in this collection, which merges more minimalistic shapes & design lines, often associated with ready-to-wear & combines them with select couture techniques on each piece. layered textiles, flowing chiffon- it was all very beautiful & contemporary. i loved the collection’s use of hardware as well as the variation in design of the neckline. off whites, blasts of yellow & red with use of black was all seen in the collection palette, which kept the momentum of the collection going & powerfully from start to finish. reportedly, the red bridal finale gown in the collection, worn by supermodel icon yasmin lebon; weighed 110 pounds, took 49 yards of fabric to create & required assistance from two design assistants to walk the runway. the collection, as well as it’s execution, was exceptionally sharp- hence it being one of my favorites this season. i think it’s extremely interesting to see how designers interpret the traditional couture techniques & morph them to appeal to this modernized age of fashion. mindful of rolland’s design past, i would say that he is doing a remarkable job & merging classic with modern. couture is about taking design fantasies & making them reality- a mission which was well achieved this season at stéphane rolland. [source]

01 24 2012

COUTURE COLLECTIONS: GIVENCHY

PARIS – shedding his purified direction seen in the last two couture seasons, ricardo tisci returned to the dark side for the SS12 haute couture season in paris. in 1952, the house of givenchy was founded by hubert de givenchy. upon establishment, givenchy became a fixture in fashion history through his affiliation with film icon, audrey hepburn & his associations with the kennedys. from 1952-1995, hubert de givenchy was in place at his own label but retired after 43 years. following hubert’s retirement, john galliano was selected as the label’s new creative director, which lasted for a mere two years. as you may know, galliano then left givenchy, upon the offering of a creative directing position at christian dior; where he remained for 15 years up until 2011. following galliano’s departure, alexander mcqueen was then put in place as creative director at givenchy, which allowed a whole other level of fashion to be entered into. throughout fashion history, the house of givenchy has housed & introduced some of the greatest designers, catapulting them into the larger high-end design stratosphere. tisci remains within that lane of great artists that have been given a place not only at givenchy, but in fashion all together. for this couture collection, tisci mentioned the importance of ‘identity’, using this collection to recap all he has done in his seven years with the historic french house.

through all of the speculation whether tisci will leave his post at givenchy to make a move to dior, one would speculate even further once hearing of tisci’s train of thought during the creation of this collection. “the mark of a successful designer is having an identity”, tisci said during interviews about the collection; which definitely adds a sense of retrospect from the designer. no doubt, tisci has made his mark with his work at givenchy, but why would he take this season to look back at all he’s done? unless he was planning to open a new chapter? speculation has lead us to believe that belgian designer, raf simons, is in the lead for the race to dior; but even that has never been confirmed beyond speculated reports. time will tell if this collection is a simple design check point for ricardo, or if it is indeed the closing of one chapter & the opening of a new. cited inspiration for the hand-made collection were 20′s films metropolis (1927) & aelita: queen of mars (1924), which can be seen in the collections concepts of art deco & crystalized embellishments. always a stand out each season, tisci has been doing delicate & powerfully influenced collections of exotic birds & samurais the last two seasons, while this season sees him going back to his darker roots. one piece from the collection was reported taking 350 hours to create- signal enough that the collection is no laughing matter. i always love when designers take opposition, further contrasting themselves against seasons, in fashion. for spring, generally, one would assume that romantic direction would be taken with beautiful florals, like many of the other collections we’ve seen thus far. but tisci, like a true original, separated himself from that expectation; presenting something chic & darkly glamourous.

listed in order from left to right, the 10 piece collection was modeled by joan smalls, stella tennant, ana claudia michels, kristen mcmenamy, saskia de brauw, daria strokous, natasha poly, zuzanna bijoch, valerija kelava & kati nescher. im always extrememly interested to see how tisci opts to have each collection shot. for the pre-fall season, i heard the collection was shot in the streets of brooklyn. this collection? shot in what appears to be a basketball court, which is hinted at the hoop net above the 10 looks & the basketball that rests below the ten models’ feet. overall, the collection is still just a glimpse of design construction genius in images. even when seeing collections through video or strategic lighting, the art of couture is to be experienced in real life, off screen- something that digital media could never replace. what i value most about couture is, despite the advancements of sewing machines, laser cut leather & other modern technology- there is no greater value than a classical technique handed down from generation to generation, from one skilled individual to another. tisci demonstrates that even the most modern fashion houses can still rock with tradition in a way that truly blends the new school with the old. you don’t need me to say it, by just looking at the collection- the designs are impeccable & tisci, via givenchy remains un-fucking-touchable. [source]

01 24 2012

COUTURE COLLECTIONS: GIAMBATTISTA VALLI

PARIS – when looking at couture collections, i take into complete consideration that the pieces are nothing, digitally, compared to what they are in person. so many designers, low budget brands & miscellaneous kiosks in shopping malls have completely slained the meaning, historical value & heritage of haute couture. in looking to identify what true couture is, each season, i’ve made more of a concious effort to stay away from design hype with no delivery, concepts with no consistency & just all around poor design. giambattista valli is one design name that i’ve come to look out for during show season, during ready-to-wear also but more particularly during couture season. there is a presence of design drama that labels are allowed to present during couture season, which i feel is rooted in the true meaning of what fashion is.

giambattista in particular is one interesting design entity, with an incredible life that seemingly revolves around couture. after getting an education during his childhood at the a vatican school in italy, valli began to sketch. these sketches soon followed valli’s comprehension of silhouette, which lead to him duplicating illustrations done by yves saint laurent. valli’s first job was working along side cecilia fanfani, doing production of couture shows in rome. as if that gig was ill enough, he then transitioned into public relations at roberto capucci which eventually led him to a promotion as design staff. during his time at capucci, valli has said that he began to gain a better understanding of the technical aspects of both color & volume, two aspects which have a powerful presence in his own design work. amidst his beginnings in fashion for many years, valli presented his first couture collection in 2011. astonishingly, by looking at his design work, it’s able to hang tough with some of the best. with a collaboration with retail giant, macy’s, waiting in the wings- valli’s star is definitely one that is one the rise to greater commercial success & global recognition. already a star on the high fashion circuit, valli’s latest couture collection rests in great design & consistent execution through greatness.

even more interestingly, this couture collection is said to be a recap of all the skills valli has learned during his entire development as a designer & through what he was taught during his time in the ateliers. staying true to the season of summer/spring 2012, the collection was light, romantic & hyper-feminine; all aspects i love of design. elegant use of lace added just the right touch of style induced seduction while the clothes never lacked sophistication. voluminous bows accented the collection’s sleek silhouettes as floral embroidery was seen along with modern use of leather. it was a powerful contrast of soft & strong, powerful & delicate. as the collection drew closer to a close, the lines in the collection became almost liquified, spilling onto the runway while lavish floral head pieces added that giambattista touch, ever so slightly. use of pattern was seen more vibrantly toward the final look, which was colored pink, fuschia & purple with printed petals. overall, the collection blossomed beatifiully onto the runway. the show sequence along with the choice techniques to represent couldn’t have been produced or executed any more perfectly. one of the best couture collections of this season, for sure. this collection signifies a new level being entered, a raising of the bar for valli, who is clearly on the brink of making fashion history. what’s so dope about giambattista as a designer is that his past experience & heavy involvment in fashion have all cosmically prepared him for the work he is doing. an inspiring artist, a true visionary of fashion- hands up for giambattista, he killed this. [source]

01 24 2012

COUTURE COLLECTIONS: CHRISTIAN DIOR

PARIS – after the disastrous FW11 haute couture collection presented by the house of dior, i had my reservations about whether or not this season’s couture set would even be of any value. under the direction of dior atelier’s bill gaytten, the collection presented was flawless. seemingly inspired by the same aspects of dior archives that had inspired john galliano for much of his time at the house, the collection presented classic silhouettes of voluminous skirts with a bit of sheer flirtation that was accented by hand stitched floral embroidery. sound tracked by lana del rey’s “video games”, the theme of fantasy was well played & clearly translated. opening the couture presentation, which boasted a front row seat for actress cameron diaz, was karlie kloss of next models ny. use of houndstooth & the signature cat eye were seen on the runway, driving the presence of classical beauty even further. theatrical just enough to remind you that the house has not fallen, i was floored by each look- completely. a controlled palette of black, white & nude was seen as shots of red & some deep purples were added to the mix, but did not disrupt the timeless appeal.

looks in leather, accented by long length gloves were seen alongside techniques of exposed stitching, belted waists & beautifully ombre’d dresses. the power was definitely in the details for dior this season, which was evident in the surprisingly strong collection. writhing in regality, each look was more beautiful than the last & the gowns which closed the collection became more & more dramatized. crystal encrusted beading, plaid & layers upon layers of elegant textiles were presented. with the position of creative director still in the air, i was completely impressed with this season’s couture collection & began to question the need for a new director. under gaytten, whom has worked alongside galliano for quite some time, could be a shoe in. this collection being evidence enough, the house of dior is heavily based on concepts of classic beauty & christian dior himself had created a lifetime of inspiration that could easily be referenced by the atelier who has produced these looks each season. while there seems to be no rush in filling the position anytime soon, ready to wear collections for show season are rapidly approaching. it’s clear, the beauty we’ve come to expect from the house of dior is still very much present & rests on the skills of the atelier, who has done a commendable job in the absence of a director. unendingly inspired by how classic this collection is; im excited to see what will be presented for paris fashion week, when womenswear collection are presented in february. applause to bill gaytten for stepping up to the plate this season to slay with classic style & complete sophistication. [source]

01 24 2012

COUTURE COLLECTIONS: ATELIER VERSACE

PARIS - in their return to the runways of haute couture, donatella stood in front of a gold mirrored stair case in paris to unveil 15 jaw-droppingly gorgeous, extensively detailed haute couture gowns. just when you thought you could count the italian fashion house out, due in large part to their collections with fast fashion retailer H&M, the iconic atelier versace collections come crashing onto the runway. in anticipation of the collection, i had been looking at archived collections, both ready to wear & couture of versace, designed by donatella’s brother gianni from the late 80′s into the 90′s. what i love of versace is their use of sex through sophistication. when gianni versace was still alive, death by murder in 1997, he had a way of taking flash & turning it into trend. he took the gaudy & unwearable, transforming it into the chic & ultra-feminine. this move made an indelible mark on high fashion & versace remains one of the most iconic fashion houses for it. in the heritage of the italian label, gianni became known for taking hardware & making it wearable- using taboo concepts & churning them out on the glittering runways of milan & paris. for a while, the couture side of versace had become dormant along with the labels diffusion collection, versus. through industry trials & financial woes following the death of gianni, the house of versace has definitely stayed in the fighting spirit. headlines of downward revenue have been circling for years but now it seems that the label is hitting their stride once more in the new year. take for example, the H&M collections. one thing is certain of H&M, they know how to produce fashion for the masses & the inclusion of versace with their annual design collaboration allows a wider audience to partake in the fashion festivities while not having to suffer the escalated price points. the success of this collaboration brough a new level of luxe to H&M, also proving to be a golden union for versace who has been looking to push their design presence even further into the new & modern market. following their fall collection, versace also opted to follow-up with a cruise collection in a continual effort to push themselves upon consumers who will never be able to drop a couple grand for a gown.

on the heels of their fast fashion domination, the house of versace, under the guidance of donatella, have clearly not forgotten about their home in the luxury market. i was extremely excited to see that they would be making a return to the couture presentation circuit in paris, considering that they had only been producing custom looks from their made-to-order division. all things considered, custom isn’t couture. a few altered hemlines so that your titties sit right is nothing compared to hours spent by the atelier, hand beading a custom gown with a metal neckline. absent from the couture scene since 2004, the collection marked a goddess like return sound tracked by operatic excellence that was beautifully contrasted by the ultra-modern, hyper-sexual image that versace has become known for & delivered so well. dubbed “warrior women” by donatella herself, video previews of the collection truly evoked this persona as models- in order- karlie kloss, daria strokous, maud welzen, jasmine tookes, kendra spears, kati nescher, josephine skriver, lindsey wixson who stole the show with super sass, kate king, arizona muse, sara blomqvist, karmen pedaru, sigrid agren, kasia struss & rose georgiou modeled the 15 hand crafted pieces. do keep in mind that simple images do not do pieces like this any justice. i wanted to take time to find high quality images for you to get a better sense of the artistry that is represented in each piece, with every detail & design technique. exaggerated silhouettes, hand beading, laser cut leather- the collection was a beautiful return to haute couture & im hoping that the house of versace will stick around, with such glamorous consistency, for the next decade. collections like this remind you that fashion is not ‘just clothes’ but an ar tform of historical proportions. [source]

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