Christopher Kane Turns Flowers Inside Out For Spring 2014

To even imagine such a feat + then have it executed with such beauty + wit, goes to show you just how imaginative + talented Christopher Kane truly is. Sure, florals have pervaded fashion for decades, but to take the scientific approach, as Kane did for spring, was quite unique.

Kane approached the flower in several parts – the petals + color were treated conceptually while then introducing a scientific illustration.  The petals were interpreted through graphic petal shape cut-outs, accentuated with patent outlines while their softness came into play with white slip dresses interwoven with organza sunburst pleats in pale green (mid pic in both rows).

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The color of florals, one might say, were symbolized by wisps of color on the shiny metallic looks below.

imageAnd finally you had scientific floral illustrations that must have rendered a few speechless. There were floral diagrams on sweatshirts and skirts, as embellishment + as cutouts, whereas other times, there was a white organza slip with the word “Petal” over the right shoulder, with black arrows throughout, while a colorful flower, created out of cartoon-like appliqués, was ingeniously placed with the flower’s pistil between the wearer’s legs. 

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(photos: Giovanni Giannini)

((via WWD)

Mary Katrantzou Exposes Her Foot Fetish For Spring 2014

For Mary Katrantzou‘s spring collection, it was all about shoes, particularly men’s brogues, sneakers + ornate evening pumps.  Enlarged photo prints of brogues were splattered across simple dresses + shorts whereas sneakers were translated with impressive detail.  Up to 28 panels of photo-realistic prints were used on Neoprene + mesh, on scuba dresses + racer-style jackets.  3-D effects were occasionally added, either real or faux, which included strips of bonded rubber + Velcro straps.  Katrantzou then translated floral ornate evening pumps into her typical structured bell + peplum dresses, embellished with crystals + ruffles with images of ruffles.

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(photos: Giovanni Giannoni)

And if that weren’t enough to show Mary’s love for shoes, she collaborated with Gianvito Rossi to create the shoes below, to match the clothes.  Aren’t they the best with aqua blue accents?

image(photo: Antonio Salgado)

(via WWD)

JW Anderson Plays With Fabric, Shape + Feel For Spring 2014

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(photos: Giovanni Giannoni) 

I love the look + feel of JW Anderson‘s spring collection.  Plenty of looks were represented by odd yet beautiful shapes including a white or black sheer baby doll top with a long skirt, banded to create blouson tiers + a column seersucker dress with an oversized obi belt.  But the best part of all was how simple fabrics were transformed into futuristic concoctions that were sculpted into 3-D chevron pleats + puckers on stiff tops – present were nylon, pleather, silk + organza, but you couldn’t really make out what was what in the hands of Anderson.

(via WWD)

For #FlashbackFriday, here’s ‘Gareth Pugh Pitti 2011’, a fashion film by talented filmmaker Ruth Hogben.  Inspired by religious iconography + Florentine opulence, this film beautifully begins with baroque illusionistic ceiling painting, since it was projected onto the ceiling of a fourteenth-century church in the heart of Florence, fusing the historical + the futuristic in a one-off fashion experience.  The film + collection are breathtaking.

Wish I could have been there to experience such genius + such beauty!  

(via SHOWstudio)

Happy Birthday Nan Goldin!

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Today is the birthday of one of America’s most genius + fearless photographers – Nan Goldin.  Goldin usually tackled love, gender, domesticity + sexuality, usually shot with available light (light source not supplied by photographer).  A lot of her pics (above) seemed like candid shots of the subject’s experiences, not made public to anyone else, not even the photographer.  Nan always knows how to capture true life + beauty, no matter how harsh or uncomfortable.

Happy birthday Nan! 

Favorite Looks: Proenza Schouler Spring 2014

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(photos: Giovanni Giannini)

It’s very evident how West Coast midcentury furniture designers + Arte Povera, the Sixties art movement, influenced Proenza Schouler’s spring collection.  Both entrenched in simplicity + nature, the pieces throughout the collection had simple lines + silhouettes mixed with metallic accents.  There were crop tops for spring in slight variations including metallic ones paired with midlength culottes + criss-cross versions with pleated color block skirts of black + cream, with either gold or silver accents inside the pleats (one of my favorite looks).

(via WWD)

For #ThrowbackThursday, try not to get scared by ‘Rubber Johnny’, director Chris Cunningham‘s experimental short + music video for Aphex Twin.  Partially shot in infrared night vision on digital video, Cunningham’s video concept was simple – a raver transforming as he danced – which then evolved into this – ‘Johnny’ is a deformed teen kept in a wheelchair, locked in a dark basement with his chihuahua.

Enjoy!

For Reema Acra Spring 2014, It’s All About Shine, Big Hair + Lots Of Skin

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(photos: John Aquino)

Reem Acra’s evenings for spring are full of disco glamour with sparkle, sex + form.  Present was the requisite gold lamé number, which seemed to slink around the model as a long lost lover in a tight warm embrace while bias-cut looks took to turning you out in different ways.  There was a black embroidered bias-cut chiffon style with sexy lace-up details that showed a lot of skin but not right out while other looks had polka-dots mixed with small to large houndstooth patterns.

(via WWD)