I just learned about the Mattrew Barney's Cremaster Series recently and I am absolutely loving it! Its a strange art performing/musical/visual overflow with unrealistic situations...I could go on and on about the unusual ambiance but definitely it makes me think of Bjork alot (which is interesting because they are married to each other and I guess they are just soulmates for each other as well!)
Visuals are so important to creative people and I really admire artists that could implement their creativities and execute it in such a stunning effect. I will need to get a hold of the video and look closer to this artist work some more.
The talented Ms Backlund strikes again (see my earlier coverage on Sandra Backlund, When art is fashion...)
She has once again used knit to create art forms on the body, this time they are bloodly red. This picture is from a famous blog "Diane, a shaded view on fashion" - Sandra Backlund and her Don't Walk Collection (you can view more pictures from this collection through her blog). I don't like stealing posts from people, but I exceptionally love this designer and I would like to introduce you to this fashion forward blog as well.
Since the last post I was raving on RTW designs, this time I would like to show some fashion design that are on a different level.
Sometimes fashion is considered a piece of art, which is a concept of the designer that would never became pret-a-porter. Like the stunning show S/S 2007 by Hussein Chalayan, a designer who has a mind of an architect and always put art and concept before wearability.
"Chalayan is the designer who pushes clothes to the point where they become sculpture, furniture or even architecture. While most fashion design seems to be obsessed with glamour, Chalayan's work is conceptual and political." - except from Icon Magazine, UK.
I think it is true that a lot of time fashion is considered as "that piece that Kate Moss/Mischa Barton/Rachel Bilson wore", especially in the states, fashion is lead by celebrities (now even fashion magazine covers are celebrities), designers would give away 10-100K worth of clothings to celebrities just so their designs can appear on the media. It definitely pumps up the brand's image and induce sales, and the phenomenon shows that people are really focus on the business side of fashion, what is sell-able and wearable. Even on Project Runway, Nina "Gaga" and Heidi always have comment on the design by whether they can imagine themselves wearing the garment or not. I mean, there is nothing wrong with fashion being wearable, glamorous or practical, but it should not be settled in as "just that".
Another designer that I recently spotted is Sandra Backlund, to me, this Swedish designer has a perfect sense of art, beauty and fashion. Her design is kind of in between wearable and concept art pieces, I found this intro on her site tells a lot about the designer's concept and work:
"Collage is my passion. In the same way that I like collage in picture form, it is also the way I prefer to work with fashion. I never make a sketch for a garment and then implement the sketch, but improvise from the ideas in my head. I work with a lot of small parts which I turn, twist and attach in different ways to build the shape that I want. The handicraft process and the handmade feeling is very significant. I do experiment a lot with different kinds of material and handicraft methods, but knitting is one technique which I keep returning to. I think it is important that we take responsibility and preserve ancient handicraft techniques which will die out if we do not carry them forward to a new level. Consciously I don´t think much about trends, it is more the feeling of timelessness that fascinates me. For me, fashion will always be the perfect combination of tradition and renewal." - From sandrabacklund.com
while I wouldn't wear anything that is made out of human hair (on far right), I have to say that is an amazingly beautiful top. Her work on volume and proportion with wool (first) and origami (third) are phenomenon. And then there is this knit crochet baby doll dress (second) that I would absolutely love to wear to parties.
It is a sad reality that our generation socialite icon, Ms. Paris Hilton, has diminished the meaning of "being socialite" from high social status, glamorous, artistically liberated and fashionably expressive to trashy, tacky, untastefully liberated (pls, the tapes!) and unfashionably expressive (her love of matching colors from head to toe and the smug smile...).
It is great that the new socialite quality designers Georgina and Keren brought to us Marchesa - again. The british born designers were inspired by vintage and Asian influences (like the beautiful Japanese kimono printed tube dress Misha Barton worn), and the legendary European socialite in the late 19th century Marchesa Luisa Casati, became the company's namesake and muse.
Marchesa Casati was "possibly the most artistically represented woman in history after the Virgin Mary and Cleopatra, the portraits, sculptures and photographs of her would fill a gallery." She spent a fortune hosting the most elaborate parties where the servants and maids are all dressed in just gold leaves. Marchesa has also created many inspiration for designers - "She wore live snakes as jewellery (which has became great inspiration for jewellery design nowadays) and was infamous for her evening strolls, naked beneath her furs whilst parading cheetahs on diamond-studded leashes (again, a very fashionable imagery)". (Information was from Marchesa Casati official site , if you would like to read some more about her)
I am glad we have designers like Georgina and Keren in our generation. They are bringing back the more dreamy and romantic quality of a socialite that leaves room for little girls to imagine. Though I think they do have beautiful collections of satin, sheer, lacey, flowy evening gown, I personally love their more artistically eccentric and asian inspired designs. I would definitely love to see them do more of that and go crazy with it. Here are some of my favorites: first 4 pieces (and Mischa worn the first one beautifully) are from Autumn/Winter 07 collection, last 3 pieces are Spring/Summer 07 collection and the last one are the beautiful designers themselves):
