Monday, August 31, 2009

Rick Owens Furniture


Rick Owens has created some new furniture for an upcoming exhibit, which will be showcased alongside some of his previous works. He seems to employ many of the same inspirations he does with his clothing, into his furniture. It, like his garments, is very structured and animalistic. I wish I could pop over to check out the exhibit but that’s definitely not happening in less than 2 weeks. But anyone in the London area who stops by – I’d love to hear what you think of it!

Sept. 9th @ Sebastian+Barquet

PS – Rick… when will you come out with a bedding line? I’m trying to sleep on some Lilies sheets!

Sunday, August 30, 2009

A Mini Shop / Anastasia Boutique


As we all know, the US is severely impaired when it comes to shops which carry some of the more obscure brands we love, but fortunately a new one has surfaced, A Mini Shop. They carry some of my favorite labels, and hopefully yours as well, if you like the aesthetic of my blog. They’ve been kind enough to offer you 30% off (as well as free shipping for US customers!) on their array of Yohji Yamamoto, Undercover, Limi Feu, Junya Watanabe and much more, so take a look at what they’ve got in stock when you get the chance.

xoxo

Iris Van Herpen Fall 2009


Iris Van Herpen is someone who really holds my interest. There are so many different elements to her work and philosophies that I find really beautiful. Her work is obviously brilliant and within it, there is so many different things to admire… her pieces are really a visual feast. The structures are so intricate and the shapes of her dresses are nothing short of divine. The metallics she incorporates are so complimentary; unlike many other designers who work with metallics, they don’t overwhelm, but rather enhance the overall effect.

The fact that she uses leather as the material for such complex and detailed designs is so fantastic. Using a material that basically has a mind of it’s own and will inevitably evolve and for each owner, will have a slightly different outcome… I find it really endearing and sort of selfless to a degree on the designer’s part. To let the wearer complete the process of the evolution of the garment, it sort of reminds me of Marcel Duchamp’s philosophy concerning his works of art – that they were not ‘finished’ until the viewer has come into play. He reckoned that art was incomplete until the viewer got a hold of it and perceived it from their own objective point of view. I always draw the parallel to designers such as Iris who believe in using materials that are not stagnant and which will personalize with each wearer.

I’m probably rambling again but suffice to say I like this lady. She has said she takes on a different technique each collection – and lucky for us all she does a fantastic job at it and we get to see some really progressive, refined and gorgeous clothes from her. Very much looking forward to what her next collection will be like.

Friday, August 28, 2009

Comme des Garçons Spring 2004

I know this will always be thought of as ‘the topless collection’, but it was such an interesting showcase of one item, that I love to revisit it from time to time. In addition to fixating the entire presentation solely on the skirts, Kawakubo not only took the pieces to a new level, but sort of out of the bracket of what a skirt traditionally is. A variety of gorgeous half silhouettes made their way down the runway but the most intriguing part is, the bold shapes are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to these garments. The construction and deconstruction of the pieces is what make them truly interesting, along with the materials used as they allow for manipulation of the fabric and overall shape.

Some of the skirts, which appear from the outside to be comprised of descending tiers, connected to one another… are actually all separated from each other on the inside of the garment. For instance, some layers are only for one leg to go through, and don’t connect to the waist or any of the other layers – so, if someone lifts up even the top tier of your skirt, they’re greeted with a nice money shot. The humor of Rei’s work certainly exists beyond the surface, but aside from amusement, it makes you rethink an entirely common garment in a whole new light.

I figured I could start posting more of my own pieces to go along with some of the older collections I put in here, especially since they’re usually the inspiration for the posts… so here goes.

Last year I was lucky enough to pick up one of my favorite pieces from the collection and was really surprised at the versatility of the piece (it is the all-white version of this one on the runway ). As I described above, each layer is not connected to the one above it, and this one has 2 separate leg holes, so it can look like a pair of bloomers in a way… but the upper thighs and crotch are totally bare, if you were to peek under the first or second skirt layer, in the front or back.

Also, the fabric is very thick and able to be worn in multiple ways; you can lay it flat, as pictured on the photo above, where you can see how it sort of has a deconstructed spiral design to it. Or as seen below, you can “open” the fabric in different ways to create entirely new shapes. It’s a very fun piece but also very thoughtfully constructed.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Lenny Pier Ramos Fall 2009



I love when a designer can really bring forth a presentation that fully encompasses their point of view and leads you into the world that they envision. Many people are great at making clothing but it’s definitely another talent all together, when you can successfully depict the moods you’re trying to convey, but Antwerp based Lenny Pier Ramos can do just that. Originally from Montréal, Ramos nearly became a film maker and also formerly had a progressive accessory line before making the move abroad to pursue his talent for clothing design, at the prestigious Royal Academy a couple of years ago. He has since successfully culminated his influences and been able to hone them all into one beautifully ominous aesthetic.

Strongly influenced by artists such as sculptor Eduardo Chillida, it is quite wonderful to see how Ramos references and draws from such distinct sources, all the while without portraying it in a literal manner. I’d love to check out his some of stuff in person when I get the chance; the construction of and the textures within his pieces are really intriguing and it looks like he’s using some pretty interesting materials as well.

Architectural Clothes Spring 2010 "Bisector Human"


If you don’t know, now you know… designer Nahum Villasana, that is. This conceptual, complex and very directional design force is just about 23 years old and has an exciting future ahead, to say the least. Villasana is already mastering the art of stacking geometrical forms to create outstanding silhouettes. In a time when so many people seem to be jumping on the all-black train – it is more than refreshing to see someone doing it correctly. The intricate construction and shapes Villasana creates add a sense of immense depth, both literally and figuratively speaking, and thus really sets him apart from other designers.

For more information on this line, please visit the website. As of right now there are no stockists, however you CAN order pieces directly from the designer (and avoid the criminal retail inflation that’s currently plaguing us all, while you’re at it) via his website.

photography by Julio Torres.