Here’s a fashion film featuring designer Louise Leconte‘s designs, where the designer stars as the model, with haunting vocals by Olivia Carrere.  You might not be familiar with her name, but soon enough, it’s a designer name you’re going to be hearing a lot about, with special thanks to Lady Gaga.  

If at first the name does not ring a bell, just think back when Lady Gaga showed up earlier this month at Robert Wilson’s Watermill Benefit,wearing a ‘reserved’ black leather gown that curves into middle of chest, by side cut-outs, revealing a black brasseire (below).

This was when Lady Gaga announced her special project with Marina Abramovic (seen below) + Robert Wilson – talk about perfect pairings.

But how did Gaga arrive to selecting Leconte, instead of one of her fave designers?  Much to her delight, the 26-year old Leconte told STYLE.COM, “Her stylist wrote me + asked for six or seven looks from my graduation collection, so of course I sent them.”  Originally, Leconte debuted the Gaga dress during her 2012 graduate show, when she earned a master’s degree from Belgium’s La Cambre Mode(s) last year.

“The collection was based on Joan of Arc, so the garments were armor-inspired,” said Leconte to STYLE.COM.  Containing looks that deliberately revealed parts of the body not meant to be shown, the collection questioned the notion of ‘what we do when we dress up — are we protecting ourselves + our bodies, or are we exhibiting or demonstrating something?’  Yet, Leconte was ecstatic to see Gaga chose to wear nothing underneath.

So if you’re looking to channel Lady Gaga with a Leconte ‘anything’, of your own, you can buy made-to-order pieces as well as a range of ornate leather shield bags (below), for sale on the designer’s site.  These bags

also came from her graduate collection ( bags totally reminded me of Gianni Versace with some edge) But it makes sense to make a shield a bag, as Leconte noted, ‘I think there is an interesting parallel between the way women hold their It bags + the way soldiers carry their shields.’  In the same token, what you wear could be considered a shield of sorts, protecting what’s underneath that goes beyond the flesh.

(via STYLE.COM)

What’s not to love, when it involves Inez & Vinoodh?

For Valentino‘s AW/13 fashion film, the brillilant photographic duo of Inez Van Lamsweerde + Vinoodh Matadin, simply known as Inez & Vinoodh, created moving portraits of the models, reminiscent of Baroque style painted portraits (adopted by the likes of Rembrandt, Vermeer + Vélazquez).  Meanwhile, ‘Where The Wild Roses Grow’, sung by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds + Kylie Minogue, perfectly sets the mood, making you think you’re in a king’s court, during Renaissance times, dancing to this tune.

Don’t you simply adore the still lifes created by Inez & Vinoodh?  Look at how the blue + white porcelain in one frame along with flowers, is later translated into a blue on white dress in another frame, while accompanied with a colorful look in other frame, representing the flowers from before.  

Simply beautiful.

Brazilian Prisoners Who Can Add Knitting As A Trade

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To say it’s crazy, is a slight understatement + yet, I can see how someone can say it makes sense.  When Brazilian designer Raquel Guimaraes (below) lacked sufficient knitters to finish her knitwear collection for her Doiselles brand, she thought about utilizing prisoners from Arisvaldo de Campos Pires, Brazil’s maximum security prison.  In return, the prisoners would get paid + have their sentences reduced.

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A partnership that’s been going on for a couple of years now, has proven to be most successful, as the prisoners are taught how to produce high-end knitting.  The designer usually chooses about 18 prisoners, imprisoned for crimes, including armed robbery to murder.

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Talk about fashion with no conscience!

(via The Guardian)

Selfridges Celebrates London’s Toy Shop Launch With Barbie’s Help, Wearing Fred Butler, Nasir Mazhar & Sister by Sibling

Had my Barbie looked this cool, I never would’ve tried melting her face just to see if she could look sad.

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To celebrate the launch of Selfridges London’s Toy Shop this week, five one-off Barbies, dressed by Fred Butler, Nasir Mazhar & Sister by Sibling were created to be sold as exclusive collectables.  Dressed like this, I think this Barbie can be viewed as sculpture rather than a mere doll.

For Nasir Mazhar (above), his London men’s collection was recreated for Barbie, which included some looks adorned with his classic waistband logo.  “I never realised how intricate it would be to recreate my collection in miniature for Barbie,” Mazhar admitted.

Fred Butler, in typical fashion, resorted to geometrics, punches of color + iridescence (below). Yet, for her it was not hard at all, as growing up, Barbie was Butler’s fit model.  Butler said, “I basically spent the majority of my childhood playtime making outfits for my Barbie.” image

Sister by Sibling, decided to cozy up to Barbie in funky knits, full of texture + patterns. image

(via ASVOF)

iPhone Cases Sure To Get You Noticed

As a contemporary art lover + fan of Bravo’s ’Million Dollar Listing New York’ star real estate broker Frederik Eklund, here are some beautiful iPhone cases painted by his husband, Derek Kaplan.  Frederik of course, probably owns them all, but you can too for $35 plus shipping, by ordering them at www.derekkaplanprints.com.  

Not only would this make a perfect gift for yourself, it would also be a stylish ‘back-to-school’ item, sure to stir up conversation.

How apropos with ‘Shark Week’ right around the corner.

Filmmaker Ruth Hogben collaborated with Fendi to create ‘Venus In Fendi’.  A haunting fashion film, showcasing the label’s underwater themed Pre-Fall 13-14 collection, fabulously obnoxious furs play the leading role.

Meant to capture the essence of the Roman woman, inspired by the house’s Roman roots, Hogben explains to SHOWstudio, ‘The Roman woman does not perform, she is performed to.’  By that admission, Hogben planned on capturing the essence of a true Roman woman – a strong, confident female + after seeing the film, she succeeded.

(via SHOWstudio)

Isn’t this video for FKA Twigs’ (formerly known as Twigs) new single ‘Water Me’, simply sublime?  Directed by Jesse Kanda + produced by Arca (‘Yeezus’ collaborator), the simple track with it’s experimental rhythms, perfectly compliments the video’s somber tone, magnified by the huge tear drop + ever growing MANGA eyes.  

I’ve always had a sweet spot for videos that are a little ‘off’ like this + luckily for us, it’s the norm for this crazy chick.  Check out this other FKA Twigs vid – Here’s ‘Weak Spot’ directed by Grace Ladoja.

‘Young Turks’, FKA Twigs’ EP2, including ‘Water Me’, drops Sept. 9th.

(via V)