Chicken Little was the first 3-D movie I’ve seen in theater. I must say from the beginning of 2000’s the growth of 3D system has been ecstatic. Avatar on the other hand is a whole other story. Now that we have 3D televisions in our houses many movies and documentaries to watch the next step is of course anything and everything in the industry to catch up with this new era. Of course we need glasses to enter this world of adventure, first they weren’t Ray Ban look-a-likes but instead they were red and blue.

Spring Summer 2012 have been a futuristic breath of air to the luxurious, precious women we’ve experienced in the fall winter 2011 collections. High technology in prints, and patterning as well as lasercut have been adapted by many designers. Marc Jacobs used embellishment, sequins as well as vinyl and sheer fabrics as skirts. These fabrics almost remind me of the wrapping papers we used to cover our school books. Reed Krakoff in bright yellow used again the vinyl. Chanel was a little different as they used lurex, shiny metallic colored skirts. These fabrics were mostly used in London and designers were concentrated on combining a trend of a familiar era with futuristic Nouio a brand with innovative design techniques and creative spirit have combined this trend with their brand philosophy. The Taiwanese designers thinks that the image is easier to convey than the message therefore he adapted nature influenced 3D technologies into fabrics.

Wearing these 3D pieces of arts is tricky though. Although Nouio made it even easier with easy to wear designs and styling pieces, not everyone can pull of a Balenciaga or Chanel vinyl top during the summer time. So create a confusion of fabrics. I would suggest mixing them especially with lighter fabrics such as chiffon and silk- flowy and liquid like to take the edge off the harshness of the material. I wouldn’t necessarily suggest to wear them right on skin but on top of or around your daily fashion. Metallic, lurex like fabrics go best with chunkier fabrics, even a summer jumper to keep you warmer in the mid-summer nights. I am really intrigued on this new trend and where it will lead and especially whether the red and blue 3D glasses actually work on Nouio’s 3D printed designs!

niente by nil

Click here to view the embedded video.

b&w pics by Lander Larranaga

KARLOTALASPALAS finds inspiration in her own human nature, her deepest feelings, her everyday surroundings, all makes part of a whole that walks towards us over the catwalk when she shows us her collections.

While watching her last/award winner collection “Believe” my sight blends between the lines, the textures and neutral colors on her clothes, inspired on the sculpture of Giuseppe Sanmartino il Cristo Velato in Napoli, the dust over head, hands and boots, recalls a marble sculptor right after working on a masterpiece, the drapings in linen and cotton are inspired on the veil over Christ’s corpse. Simple but full of meaning. Everything feels so sincere, clear and pure while watching this collection of white marble dust wanderers; their strong walk, the optimist atmosphere.

This Barcelona based Spanish designer has won twice the male collection 080 Barcelona Fashion award, with 29 years old and almost 4 years over the catwalks she s probably one of the most remarkable emerging young Spanish designers of this times. KARLOTALASPALAS says she feels more comfortable making males clothes. She thinks the future is uncertain, while she concentrates to bring her clothes closer to the people and for that she gets support with her NO SEASON showroom in Paris. She believes, she creates, while her pieces propose strength, simplicity and a positive attitude.

aircompressors

This post was submitted by Aircompressors.

During the beginning of a fashion career, it is every girls dream to work for a high-end fashion designer. My dream became a reality when I had the chance to observe the creation of a new designer brand. Ladies, meet your new best friend…Liz Black. As a Central Saint Martins graduate, Liz knows the pressures of graduating from such an elite college; with graduates such as Zac Posen, Stella McCartney and the infamous John Galliano, it is quite clear that a graduate has something to prove; and from what I’ve seen, that’s exactly what Liz has done.

Based in a busy studio in Chancery Lane, Liz had originally started her A/W 11-12 collection in her home, but in just 6 months has found a perfect space and has transformed it into a fast-paced and working studio, which now feels like my second home. With a small group of staff supporting her, Liz has managed to create a collection to rival the fashion greats; her subtly futuristic neoprene dress and sharp sensuede tailoring compliment the female silhouette with ease…someone who knows what women want! A personal favourite of mine, is the little white dress; with a crisp white sensuede tailored outline and a gorgeous charcoal organza contrast glazing the back; I have no doubt we will see a gorgeous actress gracing the pages of Vogue in a Liz Black design in the very near future. Her talent has also become international, as she is presenting her first collection at Tranoï’s Montaigne showroom, this coming fashion week, a notable achievement for an opening collection.

My experience of an evolving designer has been truly eye opening. Watching the creation of garments before my eyes has been an invaluable experience for me as the new girl in fashion. As a Liz Black girl, my views may seem a little biased, but you really have to see the garments to believe the quality, style and fit they provide. If you don’t believe me, trust Vogue Italia – hailing her as a ‘designer to watch out for ‘ she is irrefutably, the one to watch.

This post was submitted by Charlotte Griffiths.

Mike D. and Tamra Davis, The Woodmans stills, Odeon Cinema: pics by Vanni Bassetti.

Thanks to I don’t know whom, this year I took time to see the biggest amount of films I could.

The Screen of the Arts is a light shining in Florence. And this year it gave me beautiful experiences, themes and images to think about.

Starting from the final edition of Jean-Michel Basquiat. The Radiant Child, a film made by Tamra Davis, with music by her husband Mike D. (Beastie Boys). I didn’t expect too much from the film, I had seen already the first material and DC had already spoken about it, but in fact it was moving, full, a beautiful immersion in an era, a magic moment that unfortunatly we cannot take part anymore, NY in ‘80-’81.

Than it was the turn of WasteLand incredible people and humanity. Life in the biggest open-air garbage-dump in Rio. I cried all the film long, I love crying, but here it was about a hard reality: I still don’t know what to say about an “art intervention” like this one is (and it’s not the first).

Francesca Woodman instead is a photographer you HAVE to know about. And I don’t agree that her bio is indivisible from her work. Her work has it all in it. And her and her family’s story, apart of the fact that she used to live very near to my home in Florence , is a wonderful yet tragic story about a family. I liked also the director Scott-Willis, during the festival I saw he was so happy participating, and very interested in new directors, new projects and films.

The film by Renzo Martens was incredible, the one I liked the most, the strongest and well made. Here I don’t want to say too much. I Hardly suggest you all to find the film and talk to the director and artist if you get the chance to. He was interviewed for longer that one hour after the film (via Skype) -these debates are another plus point for the festival- and he is someone to listen to indeed. I want to meet him.

I watched the making of the Waterfalls by Olafur Elisasson and understood very well his poetry and thoughts, the making of a piece by Andreas Gursky, artist I always liked, and admired The Anarchist Banker, a short film by Jan Peter Hammer, which was so subtle and intense. To be seen Too.

So after this long shopping list I want to thank Silvia Lucchesi, the director together with all the people who worked on it, and hope to be able to have many other editions despite the difficulties that italian Culture is experiencing because of our politics.

julikafrombudapest

While postproducing the pics I understood better what he kept saying again and again in out chat. Lamberto Petri is the designer of la Maison du Couturier and he really designs for women: beautiful, simple, strong. A lesson from the past. But Lamberto is not a shy guy in the backlight: he has also his ethics.

We met for the second time, at Kiev Fashion Days and for me it was love at first for the convergence of our idea of fashion world.

In Kiev he had his first show, and you can find a ton of beautiful backstage pics, also made buy young and great photographers as Ira Nastevich and Matvey Gorodisskij (find them on FB).

here the interview: (first speaking, than writing-via skype)

J. Ciao Lambert, what are you doing in these days?

L. I’m working on the production of the summer coll. and putting together the samples of the next winter collection. and on 27th of Nov. And I’ll have a lecture at the Vintage fair in Verona.

J. tell me about your story.

L. It was difficult to start, also after years of experience as a designer. specially to find some money to invest and someone to produce my collection. I started with three coats, I had to do everything on my own. I attended a free course for production professional, sponsored by the European Social Fund.

J. Which ones are the central figures that helped you in your start?

L. Big buyers, who believed in me, and did have fear to show it, like Claudio Antonioli, Milano, Roberta Valentini from Penelope, Brescia and Andrea Stagi, Viareggio

J. what did you think now that you had your show in Kiev?

L. It was unbelievable, I cried…I understood that it is not a game anymore. I want to have my show in Paris now!

J. Tell DC about your idea of fashion world. You don’t have a shy attitude

L. I just tell about my experience, I don’t speak to get some fame or gossip. Fashion world is hard and also, unfortunately, chained in a stupid clockwork. Emerging designers usually get stuck. specially in Italy. It’s an impossible thing: no fashion fairs offer free or convenient corners, and show to clients is the first thing if you want to have a chance, and go on with your project. I started showing outside White, on the sidewalk. when I started having some press, people who passed over before, stopped. I don’t like this attitude. I believe in what I do. Why don’t do buyers the same? they have no taste education, it’s a massified behaviour. Only the real talent scouts are good buyers. everyone can win staking when the roulette’s already stopped; no budget excuse…your budget will grow (If you sell just the same old shit, whether if it’s good or bad)-my add-

here there was an interruption-in Verona, where he lives, he has no internet connection. He is skyping from his car in a square, with free wifi . That’s very Lamberto.

L. hey I’m back

J. what do you suggest to upcoming designers?

L. to never stop to go on, and knock at “The Doors”, those ones that hide people really understand and know fashion.

J. tell me about last collection’s theme.

L. it’s my woman. an easy and elegant woman helped out by the simple and deconstructed lines of my collection, that plays her role in every situation; she loves her life at home, but doesn’t renounce to nightlife. She lives at the Hamptons but goes out in the city.

J. RELAX and…cuddle and than maybe to kama privè where you play music for your friends (club in Tuscany,Italy-NB) J. give me some anticipations abut the concept store you are opening very soon in Pietrasanta,LU-Italy

L. OH! your are all invited of course, it is a new challenge in retail.

L. I will build a woman’s concept: not names and brands. And I want to stake my reputation as a buyer, with the attitude I’ve learnt from those ones who believed in me. It will be the Maison du Couturier woman together with emerging brands. This concept is missing in my region.

J. Send me the sound of your new collection

L. -is sending the file Jazzmopper J – High Wonder.mp3 to chat members-

J. relaxed rhythm as your mood.

L. mellow and sweet melody with a powerful background-base.

to face life with grit. everyday.

julikafrombudapest

Karl Lagerfeld and his muse Jean-Baptiste Giacobini

Can you figure out when a specific theme is recurring in your conversations with friends for days? There’s a start and then it always comes back: it seems like a sign, convincing you to do something with that.
It happened to me with the high-heels for men theme last week, input a discussion about trans-gender preferencies in matter of sex with a friend.
Then, every case was about that: Lady Gaga video Alejandro, a friend (male) showing me his photo on stilettos as a joke, a designer I met at a party, so elegant and rock-glam styled on platforms…So I started looking for other referencies and I remebered 2010 S/S men collections by Gareth Pugh and Rick Owens, Marc Jacobs and his “suffer for fashion” and the last but not the least Karl Lagerfelds’ muse Jean-Baptiste Giacobini on heels in the upcoming 37th edition of Calendario Pirelli.
By the way, men on heels of about 4 inches are not so new! I would define it as a come back that is spreading in several wildly different milieus. The real matter is that the man-heel or “meel” is getting in males collective imagination as natural and accepted. The question is: are today women’s competitors men on stiletto heels?

Matrioska

“Arty Society” was Liz’s graduation collection at Central Saint Martins College. It reflectes the spirit of powerful arty society dominated by strong intellectual women. “in this conceptual world women proudly wear unique masterpieces printed on their outfits. My muse is as sublimely feminine as it is strong, which makes her sexier”, said Liz
Liz’s graduation collection attracted a lot of press attention after appearing at the CSM internal and press shows, so she has decided to develop her show outfits. “I am very interested in starting my own womenswear brand and I feel very capable of doing this”, she said. At the moment she is working hard to make it happen. reports Wendy Gardiner

This post was submitted by Liz Black.

Project Details:

Embodying Ethics
Embodying Ethics is an attempt of creating a Critical Design positioning to produce Socially Responsive design. The objects question the narrative of production, its material, origin, manufacturing but also challenges the narrative of consumption, creating new interaction and social experiences. The focus of this work is to examine Designs ability to ask carefully crafted questions than just provide solutions. The objects question ethics, create dilemma, provoke debate, raise awareness and allows design to deal with more complex human emotions and values. This project Embodying Ethics works on a methodology called the Ethical Design System, which is used as a tool for innovation to create ‘new objects’. These new objects are justified for their existence as they replace values of consumption and destruction with reflection and appreciation.

Cow Leg Trouser
An archetype of a trouser in leather that fits a human form transforms to fit one leg of a cow. A reminder of its origin and mass commodification of a living form into an object.

Hunter Jacket
The hunter jacket that transforms into a Ram’s head wall mount. A suggestion of a trophy for hunting, as a pleasure activity. The transformation narrates the use/function of the jacket.

Sheep Organ Bag
A sheep skin hand bag that holds within the organs of the sheep as compartments. A suggestion of its victim + source and an attempt to provoke a reflection on this mass produced and consumed object.

Tree shadow chair
A blond wood chair with an upholstery that transforms into a shadow of a tree. A reflection on the mass consumption and on issues of deforestation and destruction of animal habitat.

This post was submitted by Rohan Chhabra.

Marc by Marc Jacobs – Patent leather brogues – Net A Porter

A Merry Xmas to you all

Morethanlove

It’s Christmas time at Urban Outfitters

Jo Meyer