'To evolve...

is to continue to breathe creatively...'-Maison Martin Margiela.
Photos:Solve Sundsbo via TFS

'Have the courage...

to follow the talent to the dark places where it leads.'

At times, our biggest battles are those within ourselves.

Photo:Marcus Bleasdale

'I could not stay another day...

to laugh, to love, to work, or play. Tasks left undone must stay that way. I found that place at the close of day...'

Deepest condolences to the family and friends of Daul Kim. While her body has left us, her spirit will remain.

Progressive.

Fashion consists of cycles. We see constant re-interpretations of themes, and wardrobe classics. Alberta Feretti's fusion of the Grecian Goddess with the 1920's Flapper, Ralph Lauren's constant re-interpretation of classic American sportswear...Each of these are always imaginative and beautiful, but when looking toward futurism, Designers seem to falter. Thierry Mugler, and Christian Dior and his New Look dress, were both futuristic with their integration of new shapes, fabrics, and the redefining of what was considered fashionable. As of late, futurism has turned cliche. Nicholas Ghesquire, Alexander McQueen, and Hussein Chalayan are but a few Designers to successfully understand futurism (whether intentionally or naturally) and they shatter the stereotypical view of it. The subtle, progressive designs of Threeasfour do so as well. The sinous cuts of the fabric, sheer interspersed with the solid, solid interspersed with the mesh, and their take on wardrobe classics. A black tuxedo jacket with swirling overlay that fell from the shoulders, and a kimono with an armored sleeve were some of the standout pieces. A natural progression of what we know now is what inevitably leads to futurism. The boxy, harsh silhouette that is so often seen always feels contrived. What will last, and what will have consumers driving to the stores are clothes they understand.

Threeasfour Spring 2010

Photos:Style.com

It's those subtle nuances...

that define a Designer's growth, not a dramatic change from season to season. An evolution...one where the Designer seemingly finds their path and develops an understanding of the material and the language it represents, as well as the relationship between the two. Subtle variations of a silhouette, or a fine tuning of a particular issue in a previous collection. A willingness to learn from their mistakes and push themselves further in hopes of growth. Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli of Valentino fit this idea perfectly. Those 'prickly little things' from their Fall 2009 couture collection have given way to a romance that is slowly making its way back into Fashion. A sheer jumper with cascading ruffles adorning it, or a sheer blouse with petal like folds paired with a gorgeous short sleeved bolero made of a mixture of leather and chiffon...everything was softer, and more fluid than last season's couture collection. After Valentino's departure from his house, the brand struggled for a bit, but Chiuri and Piccioli are helping it to find its stride. Their Spring 2010 collection was a bit of a turning point for the brand. A new Valentino is emerging. Equally beautiful, but darker, more mysterious. A beautifully poetic, and moving collection.

Valentino Spring 2010
Photos:Style.com

Istanbul

Photos:WMagazine.com

An Interesting Shift...

has occurred somewhere in Karl Lagerfeld's design.In examining earlier designs of his for Chanel there was a period of restraint. The Chanel of the 80s and most of the 90s was the kitsch, theme oriented Chanel we know of today, but his designs of the late 1990s exhibited a beautiful study of minimalism, and his Haute Couture Spring 1999 collection is a perfect example of this. The ease of each piece in its fabric choice and simplicity in design, juxtaposed beautifully with the more voluminous gowns. Absent was the mark of his current hand seen in his designs of today. Present? A breakthrough that is rarely seen in Chanel. Achingly beautiful collection.

Chanel Haute Couture Spring 1999
Photos:TFS

Karl Lagerfeld Almost Escapes Me.

Here is a man that will never fit into any niche that has ever been assigned to him. He's so transcendent in so many ways and brings that to his collections-particularly Chanel. The beauty of the Chanel design is that it is so limited. Coco Chanel designed during a time in which luxury was still luxury. Attainable to those who were of the old rich, or nouveau riche only. Within this, the Chanel woman was easily distinguishable. That tweed suit, rich leather gloves, handbag, stockings, a low pump, oh and of course pearls. Karl Lagerfeld has single handedly transformed the Chanel woman into every woman. There is a bit of Chanel in all of us. You can not fit his Chanel woman into any category and furthermore, each collection is a dictionary of references. The Venice Cafe Society Resort 2010 collection, 'Paris Moscou' of Prefall 2009, and the Americana inspired collection of Spring 2008. Karl Lagerfeld's Chanel collections evoke art and it's history, modern history, he references literature, culture, a romance that is largely forgotten in our world today and his Chanel Spring 2010 collection was a fine example of this. It was a fun, innocent hoedown. Sweet, 'but not saccharine,' all the recurring elements seen in the Chanel design were there, and the collection was fun, understated, and progressive. A red tweed suit had a bit of a leg of mutton sleeve, a sheer checked piece with folds, ruffles, a puffed shoulder and high neck covered a black and white tweed dress, and a military inspired jacket in a light denim blue was paired with a matching long A-line skirt. Outside of the Chanel themed pieces there was a gorgeous one shouldered gown with a sheer bottom, a chic black shift dress, and when Karl went floral he opted for muted tones of red, white, and blue. The collection was kitsch and never serious, but who's to say it has to be? It's only fashion after all.

The Kaiser

There can only be one. There is only one. Karl Lagerfeld.

Fashion is...

my lifeline, the blood that runs through my veins. It's what moves me, what drives me. My greatest source of inspiration.

The Saint Laurent woman...

is slowly changing. Stefano Pilati's Spring 2009 collection was a bit of a turning point in that the austere, powerful woman that has dominated the Yves Saint Laurent catwalk has begun to relent...well...almost. Pilati's Spring 2010 collection was a bit conflicting with the newer, younger femininity showing through, paired with the dark, austere themes that have been seen in his collections. This confliction is understood. With any change, there is always a bit of what has proceeded integrated into the new. It is an evolution, and Stefano Pilati was most successful when he worked minimalism with his new femininity. The floorlength white shirtdress or a fluid shift, as well as a black crinkled dress with beautifully voluminous ruffles stood out from other pieces in his collection. Seemingly, as an entire collection it never felt whole. With editing, and a reversal of a few looks in his line up, the collection would have been that much more magical. What felt uneccessary was the use of the strawberry print in certain pieces, as well as the pastel colored dresses that dotted the collection, only because directly after Pilati strayed into his darker, more structural pieces. Neutral colors would have worked beautifully in their place, adding cohesion to the collection, and allowing it to flow easily.With a bit more fine tuning and focus, this new Yves Saint Laurent woman will prove to be very successful.

Yves Saint Laurent Spring 2010
Photos:Style.com

Power for Power

'Were all fascinated with corruption...

The more glamourous, the better.'-Rick Owens

Interesting how definitive this quote is of Fashion, and the Industry itself. Beautiful.

The Complexity of the Alexander McQueen design...

lies in all the unexpected cultural, intellectual, and abstruse concept that is seen in his design. Where other designers stop at the known, Alexander McQueen continues to push the boundaries. From an evolutionary standpoint, an interesting shift has taken place in his designs. From the sadistic, eerie designs of the late 90s and earlier in the decade, to the poetic and breathtakingly beautiful designs of today, Alexander McQueen has grown profoundly as a Designer and furthermore, artist. The various techniques that once existed in his clothing are still there-the couture like craftmanship applied to his ready-to-wear, as well as the Victorian Era touches in the full skirts and Leg of Mutton sleeves, yet what has changed is the medium in which he expresses ideas through his clothing. Before, the controversy lay in his confrontational approach to fashion. The women wrapped and bound in plastic in his Spring 1994 collection, or the "Highland Rape" Fashion show of 1995 led to claims of misogynism. McQueen has come from controversy to commentary. His collections now are often reflections or explorations of some sort. The girl meeting the Indian Maharaja of Fall 2008, the dictum in the careless and reckless destruction of our planet in his Spring 2008 Collection, and lastly the society that has come full circle in his most recent Spring 2010 collection. What has emerged is a new Designer. A new creator.

Dress:Alexander McQueen
Photo:WMagazine.com

The Incomparable...

Awe-inspiring, moving, poignant, iconoclast, anarchist.

Alexander McQueen

I'm a bit of an Anarchist...

I have issues with authority. I prefer chaos, corruption, and disorder to conformity any day.

The Pagan Right

Photos:V Magazine

A Study of Basics.

What attracts me to Yohji Yamamoto's design is the instant sense of poetry, and harmony that his clothes bring. Even before reviewing or looking closely at his clothing, you can see this in his runway scans. His clothes almost never stray from an all black color palette, and included in that is the subtle drama incorporated into each piece. A small jacket juxtaposed onto a dress, a coat with a lapel on one side, and two on the other...Or a long line of ruffles adorning a jacket on one side. His mastery in angular cuts of the sleeve, long sweeping skirts, and the beautifully minimal, streamlined Peacoat of Fall 2009, are all a testament to his genius as a designer; as well as being undeniably timeless, covetable pieces. For Spring 2010, Yohji Yamamoto took a minimalist turn. Easy long sleeved tops with a peaked shoulder, paired with short paneled skirts, and a beautiful double breasted off the shoulder coat. A collection of wardbrobe basics and essentials delivered with a fresh twist, and very strong construction. Beautiful white shirt dresses (some that fell to the floor) an interesting hybrid of a corseted top with puffed shoulders. Some of the most beautiful elements of his collection came with the addition of beautiful motorcycle jackets-both long sleeve and short. His collection also consisted of torn and tattered pieces that adorned floor length long sleeve sweaters, and soon grew to be full on holes in the arms of blazers, or on the legs of jeans. After delivering such a lovely and strong collection, the real suprise came when Mr. Yamamoto filed Bankruptcy a few days after showing his collection. If the threat of Mr. Yamamoto losing his business has the same effect on his artwork as it did Christian Lacroix, then Fall 2010 is something for all of us to be looking forward to.

'I only see...

the faults, flaws, the imperfections. That attracts me.'

Yohji Yamamoto

A Common Misconception

about Futurism is the belief that it is an ideal for a far off world that we do not know of today. It can be yes, but Nicholas Ghesquire for Balenciaga provides a futurism that is an extension of society today. The way he interprets this in his clothing is easily seen in how recognizable every element of his clothing is-yet re-worked with interesting fabrics and curious elements,whether it's panels of fabric that provide a streamlined futuristic look or extreme volume and austerity that provide a wondrous effect and have us thinking of what Fashion will be in generations to come. The skinny jeans,booties, jodhpurs of Fall 2007, florals of Spring 2008, draping of Fall 2009, are all items of clothing that are not unheard of, but in the Ghesquire way they are shadows of their formers selves-and I wouldn't have it any other way. For his Spring 2010 collection, Ghesquire rid us of the luxe and returned to a harder aesthetic. There was the most interesting hyrid sandal boot seen yet (some a continuation of the floral gladiator boot seen in the Spring 2008 collection) a gorgeous skinny pant with pockets that extended mid thigh, boxy linear vests with what looks to be a digitalized print, a paneled tank with various strips of fabric-and some sheerness-that soon took the form of long sleeve shift dresses with the panels of bright color stretching horizontally across the chest and down the arms that had the effect of graffiti splashed upon concrete. What this led to was beautiful tribal war paint slashed across the pants and then back to the futuristic strictly structural, geometric paneled tanks that were with beautiful drapey fabrics and paired with gorgeous tribal printed skirts. It was a collection of ideals via translation and done beautifully with restraint.

Balenciaga Spring 2010 Collection
Photos:Style.com

'With every breath...

you have the power to give life, to have life, to be still and to have an opinion, to change another and to create...and to believe."-Boudicca

Breakthrough.

In my blog, my aim is to challenge and inspire readers. I created this blog in hopes of developing a relationship with my audience, one where dialogue is open and welcomed. I hope to constantly re-define the idea of what is considered beautiful through the designers I choose to feature and their designs. I do not believe in the politics of Fashion and have avoided writing about them on my blog as much as possible. But lately, I can't help but feel angry. What is beauty? If you ask anyone the answer is varying and very hard to define-but one thing that is agreeable is the fact that true beauty comes from within. But when looking through magazines, runway collections, and editorials I see a lack of diversity, and a lack of beauty. I have been taught to look at a person for who they are, not their skin color, so it's discouraging to be so enchanted with an industry that supposedly supports diversity yet completely shuns the idea of diversity out of fear. If Yves Saint Laurent heard the excuses used for not hiring models of color he would be rolling in his grave. When did the industry become this way? How hypocritical is it to sell the idea of dreams, yet deny so many at the same time? How small-minded is it to assume that the only dreamers you are selling to are white? It's interesting that designers have flagship stores in Bangkok, Sri Lanka, places where the minority are the majority but this minority is damn near invisible where they should be visible, and represented with pride.

In all honesty, I have tried to avoid this subject and turn a blind eye, but that is doing a disservice to myself, the models who are fighting for representation and everyone else of color on the outside looking in. I can not ignore racism, I will not ignore racism or any form of discrimination or hate-against anyone. I believe in what is right and will fight for it. To my readers I challenge you to do the same, and more importantly- I challenge you to believe that there are no limitations for what you are able to do, and always hope. Beauty is indefinable.

Model:Eugenia Mandzhieva

Sessilee...

is love.

The Beauty of...

the Calvin Klein minimalism is that Francisco Costa knows the uselessness of overabundance. His clothing focuses on the simplicity in chicness-structure of form combined with the fluidity of his pieces and the lushness of beautiful fabric against the skin. For his Spring 2010 collection, Francisco Costa added another element to his collection-the beauty of worn in clothes. The softness of a crinkled white cardigan paired over a translucent tank dress added a beautifully constructed element of ease. In keeping with necessity rather than superfluity, Francisco Costa offered a collection of basics. Simple bubble dresses, crinkled streamlined blazers and later on crinkled shift dresses with a sheerness that allowed you to see through to the skin. The translucency and lightness of this beautiful collection was not the only theme present. There was a study of proportions in the dichotomy seen between symmetry and asymmetry-short shift dresses with long panels attached that fell to the ankle, gorgeous tank dresses with one sleeve-as well as interesting takes on wardrobe basics- a white short sleeved shirt dress that fell in an A-line above the knee, a slouchy blazer that evolved into a tulip shaped skirt. The collection ended with easy, voluminous dresses that carried the trademark sheerness seen throughout this collection. Beautiful, sensual, moving collection.

Calvin Klein Spring 2010
Photos:Style.com

What happens in a Post Apocalyptic world?

What distinguishes the man today from the man that lived 10 or 15,000 years ago? Technology. The sophistication in which we live now is only due to the advancement of technology being responsible for the ease in which we live. What happens to the advancement of man once our resources are taken from us? We revert back to the primitive nature in which we have evolved from. An answer addressed in the Rodarte Spring 2010 collection. For this collection, the Rodarte woman is one surviving in a tarnished future. She is of the post apocalypse. Living in a world where the basic necessities are scarce. She has to scrounge for clothing, and food and protect herself from attackers, and marauders...this is where the protective element of the clothing comes in. The clothing that is built up projecting a sense of armor, the tattoos on her arms. The clothing came pieced together, draped, layered, and torn. Everything was thrown together in the way that a post apocalyptic woman would. The interesting 'fashionable' elements came in the weaving of so many of these fabrics onto one another as well as the lushness seen in some of them (on closer inspection). There were also gilded belts, grunged out plaid that was twisted and wrapped around the model's chest and back, distorted prints, bleached, dyed... and fabrics that barely hung on by a thread. Some pieces were seemingly juxtaposed onto others, clothing was cut into tatters that hung around the model's ankles. Is this what is to come? Will society come full circle?

Photos:Style.com