Suzuki Takayuki exhibition

My beloved Takayuki had a gorgeous exhibition recently in which he worked with Suibokuga artist, Shukoku Tsuchiya, and stylist Shinichi Mita, in creating these garment installations. The trio have reportedly been combining their talents under the group name of TENKI for a few months now. The theme of this particular installation was 'layers' and the artists worked together to combine different elements - the voluminous effect of clothing, incorporated with 2-dimensional art - to create garments that challenge, blur and works toward eliminating the divide that exists between clothing and art. Aside from the philosophy behind it all, it's simply stunning from a visual standpoint. I love the different showcases and concepts within the exhibition and I very much look forward to seeing what they be creating together in the future.

Marc Le Bihan Spring 2010

From what we can see in these images from his website, Marc Le Bihan's latest collection looks absolutely beautiful, which is, of course, no surprise at all. The original showroom images had these awful peep toe shoes but I am glad newer ones surfaced with much better footwear. I always love his heavy styling of such dramatic pieces; the effect is a multi-proportional dream with so much dimension. One thing I always love about Bihan is that, after the initial impression of a great silhouette, there's so much more visual interest to explore within each look and beyond that, each piece. Would love to get a closer look and feel of these but even just from these images, this may be my favorite overall output of his in a couple seasons, if not years.

Ann D

I've been breaking these in for a few weeks and I just love them. They are beautiful, but beyond that, they go so well with everything from jeans to dresses. Just thought I'd post this up for anyone who's considering getting these as they're just great and in addition to looks, they're so comfortable as well.

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ETA - OOps... I just went to publish/respond to some comments but I accidentally clicked Reject. and according to Google, there is no way to recover them. >_<
I sincerely appreciate and enjoy responding to comments here so I just wanted to say sorry if you don't see your comment published.

Lots of love to you all.

xoxo

Rest in peace, Alexander McQueen.

As thousands of others have and will continue to, I just wanted to express a few words on the unfortunate passing of this genial human being. Attempting to put it into words may well be futile, but for the man who's presentations have moved me to tears, multiple times, I will try.

There are aesthetic geniuses, there are undeniable talents... basically, there are a lot of people out there who are good at at expressing their visions. However, it's so rare for someone to possess the ability to articulate it to an audience through an intense and successful visual translation, the way he could. So rare to be able to leave such an impact on the viewers, or in his case, the overall experience-r, because with McQueen, it was never just about making pretty clothes.

In an overwhelmingly superficial, catty and shallow industry, this man put on some of most heartfelt presentations that we have seen, and as of today, will ever see again. Some of them were disturbing, some were pristine, some outrageous and some too poetic and beautiful to put into words - but no matter their tone, they were always so unique, so powerful and so magical. He provided us unique experiences, installations and conveyed moods and visions that took us to another place in time, entirely, which is a talent far and above what most clothing designers can only dream to possess.

His collections before and particularly in the early 2000's were inexplicably gorgeous; the concepts were always different, bizarre and beautiful and afterward left such an impression on the viewer. I was personally moved to tears by a few of them, something which another designer has ever evoked in me before or since. Not to knock his work in the recent years, but the level of whimsicality was turned down and he seemed to gravitate toward a more futuristic and flashy approach. I wasn't sure why the evolution, but it was clear that while his visions shifted, his passion, volume and determination to articulate his vision never seemed to waiver.

While it's no secret that the most deeply creative people are often the most tormented, it is absolutely tragic when the world loses these special souls, who's creations touch so many lives. McQueen, like many, was probably filled with an inescapable darkness and terror, which can only be soothed by a few special people we are fortunate enough to cross paths with in life. Once those people are taken away from our lives, it can become impossible, and pointless, to continue the struggle of living.

On this sad day, as cliche as it is, I can only hope that he has finally found the peace that he deserves. His work will always live on, his presentations and vision will always remain unmatched and his legacy will continue to bless and haunt all who encounter his brilliant creations. May his soul finally be free.

in the depth of winter, i finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer

happy holidays to you all. may 2010 bring much peace and happiness to your lives.

xoxo

Ode to Saint Roversi

Aski Kataski F/W 09.10 pieces

Another one of my favorite 'newer' designers, Katsuhiro Makino, also has the great ability to produce pieces that are a world of intrigue on all their own. I am never really a fan of his lookbook images - not because the styling isn't great and not that the pieces don't always look covetable - it's just that they leave the viewer with only a vague 'feel' for his overall style... and not a chance to really admire his pieces for what they really are.

The organic feel, plus the celestial overall designs, it's really special. I adore his color palette and his craftsmanship; his pieces feel honest and have such a slight of hand quality that I'm so attracted to. They are not over-the-top at all or shocking aesthetically, but the amount of magic that lies within the materials, detailing, proportions - it's enough to leave one in awe. I hope that the brand will start seeing a surge in retail interest soon, much like I do with Takayuki's.

Suzuki Takayuki S/S 10 pieces

Though the styling on his collections is always special and does a nice job of showcasing just how amazing his work looks layered upon itself, sometimes Takayuki's work is best admired in a solitary manner. He is a rare soul; it is few and far between when a designer comes along and has such an undeniable enchantment, dripping off of their every garment.

While I'm a huge fan of the element of protection within clothing, the vulnerability and delicate overtones in Takayuki's work are eternally endearing and comforting in their own right. The fabrics and techniques he employs are thoughtful on every level, yet emit such a dreamy ease. His pieces feel amazing on the skin and look gorgeous when layered... but the most special aspect is that even in their solitude, the garments tell their own eloquent story.

Anne Valérie Hash Haute Couture Spring 2004

Much like the Kokosalaki post, this one is a testament to the genius AVH unveiled to us in the past. Her S/S 10 collection was pretty nice, but it's still such a far cry from the poetic, billowing yet restrictive clothing she's shown us in seasons such as this S/S 04 one. I mean, it's truly a dream; perfect silhouettes, brilliant textures, flawless proportions and the heavenly styling.

I always wonder if the switching of aesthetics and if the shifting down their overwhelming creativity is a conscious one or just a natural progression for the designer. I understand all too well the need to shed an old skin and move in a new direction, so perhaps it is trite to question the switch in a designer's output. Even if she never revisits this style, I guess I can only appreciate and be thankful to be able to look back upon the collections like this that she's graced us with.

creo en los fantasmas terribles, de algun extraño lugar

limi, limi, acne, yohji