Jeremy Laing Spring 2010

Carrying over from his very nicely done and well-received autumn collection, Jeremy Laing is back with another one. I am really loving the range of fabrics he chose and worked into this one and the array of detailing that the collection possesses overall. Each piece is something special, when broken down, in addition to them all working as a cohesive unit. Laing’s work always feels so young and vibrant with a nice edge, to me – but it also has so many mature and impressive elements that it makes him someone who’s interesting and well worth following the work of.

NYFW + Gary Graham Spring 2010

NYFW is a mess this year, a huge mess of tired trends and dated or just completely redundant collections. Not that it’s usually an invigorating fashion week or anything, but this season seems particularly sad. The whole Erin Wasson x RVCA, Alexander Wang, neo-Herve Leger, etc, thing… not only has it been done to death but by now it’s all a bit of a joke.

In a time where finances are so tight that fashion greats such as Veronique Branquinho have to completely shut down their houses and inexplicably talented geniuses such as Yohji Yamamoto’s are also being threatened – it is terrible that this shallow crap is selling like hotcakes and is running rampant on the runways – the place where trends are meant to be set… not regurgitated upon.

At this point, these gimmicky ‘designers’ are basically pulling a Fight Club on their clientele, by selling back to them their own veritable excrement in shiny new packages each season – and according to sales, people are buying it right up. It seems innovation has gone down in priority and I hope that will change.

:straps on Optimist hat:

back to regularly scheduled programming:

Gary Graham is definitely a designer who deserves much more praise and recognition than he’s gotten so far. But in addition to his diligent talent, the feature he just shot for an upcoming issue Vogue (featuring his favorite model Ms. Pivovarova) should definitely help expose him.

I think this collection right here is such a breath of fresh air; from the clothing to the setting – I love to see such thoughtfulness. My favorite aspect is probably the unusual and varying waistlines, it’s a beautiful play on proportions and was furthered beautifully by the great styling. The dresses are all lovely but what really won me over were the structured pieces sprinkled throughout… they add just the right amount of rigidity to counterbalance the whimsical overtone and not to mention the proportions are amazing on them and I love how he uses them to subtly distort the silhouette. All in all, it’s just really well done, attractive and has real subtance, which is something a lot of collections this week are severely lacking. Well done, Mr. Graham!

Chitose Abe x Monclear Spring 2010

Moncler did well by inviting the amazing designer of Sacai, Chitose Abe, to design a collection for them. How stunning are these silhouettes? If there’s one thing above all that Abe does flawlessly, it is combining beauty and function and these really showcase that. My usual association with Moncler is the world bulky, but these really break the mold and are actually very pretty and incredibly interesting. They are so in line with her aesthetic, despite the challenge of working with outerwear materials. The pieces will be released for sale next year under the label of ‘Moncler S’ and it’s said that they will be available in black, white and olive.

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!

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.

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.

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.

Suzuki Takayuki Fall 2009 pt. 2

I know I already made a post about Suzuki Takayuki’s fall collection, however these new pictures certainly warrant a second. I am absolutely in love with Takayuki, which is surely no secret by now but it’s pretty much impossible not to be. These clothes are about as beautiful as they come and each piece is as thoughtful as the next, all the while, each containing such enchanting details. From the garments down to the shoes and all the way to the brooches – everything is absolutely beautiful.

One of my favorite aspects about his clothes are how they’re a dream to wear either alone or layered. While worn on their own, they look so ethereal and dreamy but while layered, the ascending material of each airy garment veritably drips over the next, like layers of wax down the sides of a candle. His unique vision and how he executes it so romantically is so admirable and lucky for us all, he just keeps getting even better each season.