When I Grow Up

Hi Everyone! 

First off, I wanted to apologize.  I've been pretty busy with the holidays, so I haven't had time to post anything on the blog lately.  I'm back now, though!

I hadn't quite finished posting my favorite things of 2009, so I'm going to push to have that wrapped up by the end of the week!

I'm going to start up again by writing about another one of my favorite musical acts of 2009.  Karin Dreijer Andersson is not a new face in the music industry, although most to not know her by her real name.  She has been involved in the music industry for over a decade now.  Her career began creating some great pop music over a decade ago with the group, Honey is Cool.  She then teamed up with her brother and started an electronic group in 1999 that, in my point of view, is one of the most influential groups of this decade.  The Knife moved electronic music from an over produced world of synthetic music to a very sparse and dark world that is much more expressive and real than most of the music that is generally lumped into this genre.

Karin then broke off and decided to work on a solo project.  The album was released this year and is, without a doubt, one of the best albums released this year.  It continues with the dark and sparse sound created under The Knife, but pushes it even further.  There is an immense contrast created between the music and the lyrics.  There is a very innocent aspect in the lyrics of every song.  I also admire the fact that there was a lot of thought put into this album.  Each song builds on the previous track and it's one of the few albums of the year that I can say is a complete experience, worth listening to from beginning to end.  This album, like those created by The Knife, will have a lasting impact on music.

Crazy in Love

One of the artists that I truely admire as an artist and a gift is Antony Hegarty.  He is the lead singer for Antony and the Johnsons, which have created some of the most powerful songs that I've heard in the past 3 years.  This year, Antony and the Johnsons relased The Crying Light, their 3rd studio album.  This album was much darker than their previous albums, but there was also a great intimacy in every song in the album.  Antony sings his personal emotion and heartbreak with the intention of making you feel what he feels.  It is, without a doubt, one of my favorite albums to be released this year.

I was also fortunate enough to see Antony and the Johnsons live this year.  It was the most beautiful concert I've seen all year, if not in my entire time in Columbus.  Every song was taken to a new place.  They also provided one of my absolute favorite moments of the year.  Many bands play covers during their concerts, and most times, you leave feeling like it was just a rendition of the original, nothing new and unexpected.  Antony and the Johnsons broke that stereotype in the way no other band I've seen has ever done.  They got on stage and covered Beyonce's Crazy In Love.  Their version of the song was actually more powerful than the original in my eyes.  The mood of their rendition seemed to have brought out the true emotions of the lyrics.  It was one of the most powerful stage moments I've witnessed all year.  With that, I leave you with the video of the studio version of this cover.

Stillness is The Move

I've listened to Dirty Projectors for quite some time now.  I'm not going to lie, I purchased a lot of the early music from this band because everybody else was listening to it.  I can't say that I was really a fan of what I was listening to.  That all changed with the release of Bitte Orca.  This is their most accomplished album to date.  It's much more accessible than their previous work, while maintaining the artistic quality of their music that have kept them popular in the indie scene for so long.  It was a refreshing change for the band, but also a refreshing album for the times.  The video I've placed below is the first single off the album, "Stillness Is The Move", which is by far my favorite song on the album.  Also, so show the reach that this band has had this year, I've also attached the recently released cover of this song by Solange Knowles.  I know, you may be confused, but you won't be after you listen to the song.

Givenchy Spring 2010 Men's

Most of you have noticed by now that I tend to focus on womenswear rather than menswear, which is pretty ironic considering that I am a man.  I have the mentality that trends transcend gender, so the trends that I see in womenswear will definitely impact what's happening in the menswear market.  I also tend to feel that menswear collections are not inspiring.  That mentality has changed over the past couple of seasons since a couple of designers have hit the runway.  No other designer makes me more excited about the future of menswear than Ricardo Tisci.  His past two collections represent the spirit of Givenchy to the core, but are very masculine and forward thinking.  They push menswear to a new place.  These are the collections that make me look forward to the future of menswear.

Alexander Wang Spring 2010

I am still compiling my favorite moments of 2009.  Although this collection is actually not going to see the salesfloor until 2010, the creativity was exposed in 2009.  For Spring 2010, Alexander Wang did something which is normally a HUGE no-no:  take a quite literal interpretation of American sportswear and send it down the runway.  Normally, literal interpretations of anything do not work.  This collection took actual American Sportswear(we're talking garments worn in the early days of American football, baseball and wrestling) and moved it forward to an unexpected place.  The result was a very playful collection that pushed American design to a place not often seen in New York - a great combination of commercial appeal and artistic expression.  There were standout pieces of outerwear as well as knitwear in this collection.  The accessories are TO DIE FOR!(as usual!).  What makes this most surprising is that Alexander Wang's clothes come at a price point that many can afford, so I have a feeling that this collection is going to have quite an impact come January/February 2010. 



P.S. - Girls, it's time to grow the hair out.  The messy side braid was the hairstyle used the most down the Spring 2010 runways.  Perfect it while you're all hybernating through the winter!

Girls - Lust for Life

My list of favorite things of the year cannot be complete without an homage to Girls.  They are, without a doubt, my favorite new band of the year.  Their musical influences run the gamut, yet their sound is so fresh and unexpected.  This probably has a lot to do with the fact that Christopher Owens, the lead singer of the band, grew up in a cult and was disconnected from what influences music today.  The end result is a tribute to the old, but taking it somewhere new.  One of the best of the year, by far!  Here's the video for "Lust for Life", the first track off of their debut album.  I decided to post the NSFW version of the video because I think it's more true to the meaning of the song.  Yes, it's racey, but powerful.  Enjoy.

My Girls

One of my favorite albums of the year was "Merriweather Post Pavillion".  It is a piece of conceptual music making unlike anything that I've heard in a very long time.  What shocks me the most about this album is that it has a level of accessibility that many other conceptual albums don't have.  Many of these tracks are just great dance songs that I would love to hear on a night out.  I'm also amazed by the fact that this album was released at the VERY beginning of the year, yet it still stands as one of my favorite things of the year.  In honor of this great album, I'm posting my favorite song off the album, "My Girls".  I could dance to this song all night on repeat and not even flinch!

Nina Ricci Fall 2009/2010

As mentioned in my previous post, few designers have been able to compel us to view a design house as a whole new entity from what we historically associated with it's past.  Olivier Theyskens has made this happen twice now - once at Rochas, and again at Nina Ricci.  It was sad to hear that he would be leaving Nina Ricci, especially after having created some of the the most devastatingly romantic collections that I can remember in recent history(believe me, I can remember LOTS of collections).  Olivier's final collection for Nina Ricci was exquisite.  Not a flaw in the entire collection.  All of the looks were like works of art.  AND THE SHOES!  Fetishists everywhere gasped at the sight.  I don't think anyone will ever really know if this was just a progression of his asthetic for the house, or a final farewell to the house.  I like to think it was the latter.  It was definitely one of my favorite events of 2009.

Givenchy Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2009/2010

Out of all of the fashion shows that we've seen in 2009, few exemplified the culmination of a designer's work more than Givenchy Haute Couture Fall 2009/2010.  Ricardo Tisci has had a very difficult road to climb while he's been working at that house of Givenchy.  His initial collection for the house were not well received at all.  Since that initial collection, he's managed to create a mini empire, building upon the hertiage of the house, while moving it forward into a new direction.  No other collection exemplified that more than the Haute Couture collection for Fall 2009.  Ricardo managed to keep to the traditions of Haute Couture while placing his official stamp onto all of the elements that we expect from Givenchy.  I personally see this collection as a great moment in the evolution of a house with a long history.  It was the moment where this house was able to evolve to another plane.

Two Weeks

As mentioned in the previous post, I'm going to be posting some of my favorite things of 2009.  Another video that I really enjoyed was for "Two Weeks", by Grizzly Bear.  The most amazing thing about the video is that it's not even commitioned by the band.  This is a fan video made for this song.  It's really amazing.  One of my favorite videos created in 2009!

Life In Technicolor II

We are now in December of 2009.  As the year wraps up, I'd like to post some of my favorite things of the year.  First off, a video from Coldplay.  I think a lot of people don't realize that Coldplay has really great music videos for a lot of their songs.  This video follows that tradition.  I think it's really great!  The track is "Life in Technicolor II", off the album, Viva La Vida.  Enjoy!

Coldplay - Life in technicolor ii (official video)
by Coldplayer74

That's Gay.

I love Current.  Watch it all the time.  My favorite show is InfoMania, which puts a nice comedic spin on news and information that comes out throughout the week.  One of my favorite segments on the show is "That's Gay".  Watch below and you'll know why.

Balenciaga Spring 2010

I've been waiting for a while to be able to post the video of the full Balenciaga Spring 2010 collection.  I know that I went on a rant a couple of weeks ago about the expectations of a designer creating his/her own namesake label versus those of a designer going into a house with a long history.  There are exceptions to every rule, and that is exactly what Nicholas Ghesquiere is.  He is one of the few designers who has the ability to go through the archives of a long standing house and turn them into something unexpected and new.  He surprises every season.  Yet, like many young designers, he has built onto a vocabulary that is now synonymous with Balenciaga.  It's a rare feat, but Nicholas proves that it can be done.  For Spring 2010, he moved away from the hyper romanticism of his Fall 2009 collection to a more hard edged, sci-fi inspired collection.  This is a theme that Nicholas has played around with for many seasons now, but he spliced it up and reconstructed everything this season.  It was a much more refined version of what the Mulleavy sisters are doing at Rodarte.  Also, he created the meanest pair of pants walking down any runway this season, hands down.

Keep It Going Louder

As I had mentioned previously, Major Lazer had a pretty crazy run for Spring 2010 Fashion Week and had their songs played everywhere from Alexander Wang to Louis Vuitton.  The song played at the latter now has a music video to go along with the song.  I'm not going to lie, it's pretty strange, but not that different than the way I see things after a couple of drinks during the weekend.

Oh - and I own the sunglasses being worn at the 1:46 mark.  I've had them for two years and am thinking about setting them on fire.  When I purchased them, it was just mentally unstable Britney Spears and I.  Now, every rapper and choch from Jersey owns them...shame...

Ambling Alp

Here's the music video for the new Yeasayer track, "Ambling Alp".  Naked people are uptrending in rock videos right now.  This is probably not safe for work...depending on your place of employment.

Cousins

This is the first video to be released for Vampire Weekend's forthcoming album, Contra, set to release on January 12th, 2010.  "Cousins" is the second single to be released for this album.  I can't wait to hear the whole album!

The Vogue Arts Issue

Just a little video showing the making of the photoshoots that are going into Vogue's December 2010 arts issue.  The beginning is obviously my favorite, Lady Gaga being shot by Annie Leibovitz.  Lady Gaga is playing the witch from the Hansel and Gretel fairy tale.  Good, no?  Also, I do have to give a shout out to one of the most important stylists in the fashion magazine industry, Grace Coddington.  She never ceases to amaze me!

Happy House

As some of you may know, Jerry Fuchs died in a tragic accident earlier this month in Brooklyn.  He was a drummer for many bands including one of my favorite bands of the moment, The Juan MacLean.  In honor of Jerry, here is a 22 minute version of "Happy House" that was played earlier this year in Chicago.  I am saddened that I will never see The Juan MacLean with Jerry Fuchs as their drummer, he was truely fantastic.

The Juan MacLean - Happy House (Live @ The Double Door) from The Belmont Sessions on Vimeo.

Video Phone

New music video for Beyonce's track, Video Phone featuring Lady Gaga

Tim Burton directed MoMA Spot

In order to build anticipation for his retrospective at MoMA, Tim Burton has created a commercial spot.  The music in the commercial is written by his long time collaborator, Danny Elfman.  The retrospective will open to the public on November 22nd and will run through April 26th, 2010.  I'm excited!

The Campana Brothers

After having seen the Ron Arad exhibit at MoMA, I have a renewed interest in designers who do not limit themselves to one medium and really branch out and explore as many ways of expressing their ideas as possible.  One such design duo are the Campana Brothers.  They have been working for twenty years now and have really made some innovative pieces throughout the years. 

Broken Embraces

I've been waiting for this film for a long time.  Pedro Almodovar is my favorite director, so I'm always excited to get a chance to watch his work.

Runway to Red Carpet

Kristen Stewart once again wears some of the latest fashions on the red carpet.  This is during the Spanish premiere of New Moon, wearing a beautiful Balenciaga Spring 2010 dress.  Apparently, there were a couple of nip slips that happened.  It could have been much worse people.

WORK

Oh Daphne, will you ever stop being so ferosh?

Here she is WORKING it in Alexander McQueen Spring 2010.  From head to toe.

In The Flowers

New video for Animal Collective's track, In The Flowers, off of their amazing album, Merriweather Post Pavillion

Gaga Inspiration

I do think that there is a level of inspiration that Lady Gaga has gotten from Matthew Barney and his Cremaster Cycle for her videos.  I'm not going to sit here and say that I completely understand all of the messages that Matthew is sending to me through his work or that I fully understand what Lady Gaga is picking up on, but I can't say that I don't find a similarity between her videos and what Matthew Barney has been working on through his work.  It is speaking to her in some way and it is influencing what she is putting out there for us to see.

Givenchy Spring 2010 - Full Collection

Those of you that are close to me know that I think it's most important to actually see the clothes on a woman and to see it move.  The best way to get that experience is obviously to be at a fashion show, but most of us are not lucky enough to get invites to a show, so luckily, we are in a time where technology allows us to get the experience online. 

Those of you that are close to me also know that I have a love affair with Givenchy since Ricardo Tisci took the helm.  I also know that I've created some confusion because many think that Ricardo is a one note and I usually hate one notes (Christophe Decarnin is almost there), but I don't think I've made my point all that clear and feel the need to step on the soapbox for a second.  I use the word vocabulary to describe that which a house becomes known for.  When creating your own namesake label, your mission within those first collections is to create your vocabulary.  Because this is your job, it is not unheard of for these new designers to have dramatic shifts in their collections from one season to another, as long as there is an underlying current joining the collections together.  I think a perfect example of this tendancy is Christopher Kane.  His collections have had very dramatic shifts from season to season and I think he's now starting to weld all of the pieces together, as seen in his Fall 2010 collection.  This is not always the path a new designer chooses, but it's not looked down upon for a new designer to do this.

When you are taking the helm at a house with a long and storied past, I think the expectations are very different.  Because there is a history that comes with a name such as Givenchy, you are expected to respect that history and draw upon the things that people associate with the name, but also move them into a new direction, so these designers must be very careful in their footing from season to season.  There is also an expectation to move the history forward and to stake your claim in the history of that brand as it moves forward, which is what Ricardo has done at Givenchy.  It's a much slower transformation than what you can expect with a new designer working on his own namesake label, but it's calculated and amazing to watch if done well.  Ok, I'm off my soapbox now!

Oh This? I Just Threw This Together Quickly

The Kaiser himself throwing together a quick sketch of himself.  I'm sure I'm not alone in saying that Karl is the most important person in the fashion industry today.  His creative output is astounding.  You should all get on your Netflix queues and add "Lagerfeld Confidential" stat.  It really gives you an idea of how much he is involved in and his impact on the industry as a whole.  Something that does really stay with me in the film is how quickly he whips up sketches, which is why I really love this little clip.

The Making of Couture

This short film is a quick glimpse into the making of a couture piece from the Chanel Haute Couture Fall 2009/2010 collection.  I know that many view the fashion industry as a joke and think that it is a frivalous industry, which it can be, but couture is a dying artform and should be considered as such.  The technique that these women use to create these pieces has been passed on for centuries at this point, much like art, which is why I think that this level of fashion should be considered art.  Enough with my rant, watch the video.  Regardless of your thoughts on the industry, it's pretty fascinating to watch!

Avatar

Initially, I didn't think I was going to want to see this movie.  After seeing the extended trailer tonight, that all changed.  I think this might be another great movie by James Cameron.

Runway to Red Carpet

As usual, celebrities get first dibs on all the latest fashions.  Kristen Stewart is the latest to get her grubby little hands on some Spring 2010 fashion.  Today in London, she wore a look from Proenza Schouler's Spring 2010 runway show.  It's not as good as Camilla Belle in Alexander McQueen, but it's definitely a step up from Kristen's normal attire.

Ready, Able

Here's the new video for "Ready, Able" from Grizzly Bear.  Veckatimest is one of my favorite albums of the year and all of the music videos from tracks off the album have been great!  This video is no exception

WALK WALK FASHION BABY

You all are very aware that I am probably Gaga's biggest fan so I will sing her praises until I'm blue in the face.  This really does take the cake, from the "Aliens" opening to the 80's tinged dance sequences to the homage to Alexander McQueen 2010.  I LOVE IT ALL! 

P.S. - I CAN'T BELIEVE SHE GOT HIS FINALE PIECE DOWN TO THE STUDDED ARMADILLO SHOE FOR THIS VIDEO!!!  SHE'S WEARING TWO OF HIS RUNWAY LOOKS AND THREE PAIRS OF SHOES IN FIVE MINUTES!  WHO DOES THAT?!?!???!!!???

Tres Chic

Phoebe Philo bringing life back to a dying brand - Celine Spring 2010

HA

I'm really feeling this song right now

Juvenile - Ha
by UniversalMusicGroup

DANCE IN THE DARK

Beautiful Nightmare

Beyonce performing Sweet Dreams at the EMA's in Berlin.  Pretty Amazing!

Emilio Pucci Spring 2010

There's a whole lot of 80's sexbot revival happening right now and I have to say that I'm a fan.  I'm assuming that my love for hypersex fashion does come from my Latin American upbringing.  It's just something we embrace and accept as part of a woman's nature I guess.  One of the brands that has amped up the sex over the past two seasons is, strangely enough, Emilio Pucci.  Since Peter Dundas took the reigns after leaving Ungaro (I bet they regret letting him and Esteban Cortazar go after the DISASTER that was Spring 2010), the sex appeal has definitely amped up and Pucci has become a major player in the fashion game once again.  Just remember - this sexed up 80's vibe won't last forever, so you have to find a way to move the brand on when this all dies off!  That goes for you too, Christophe Decarnin!

From Runway to Red Carpet

Camilla Belle wearing a stunning Alexander McQueen Spring 2010 dress to the premiere of 2012.  It's really great to see a piece like this being worn off the runway!

My Current Idol

I mean, Beth has been one of my idols for a while now.  She's so outspoken and vocal about her life and her experiences and really breaks a lot of the stereotypes that a lot of people have about overweight people and gay people and I applaud her for that.  Now, she's become quite a force in the fashion world as well!

Street Art

I'm sure some of you have already seen Joshua Allen Harris's work on other websites.  He creates art from bags that he then attaches to subway vents around NYC.  They inflate to create a moving sculpture.  His work has gotten more elaborate now and there's some pretty cool stuff he's doing.  For all of you ANFers - can any of you tell me if you recognize Joshua?  Wasn't he a visual guy at ANF a couple of years back?

Selda Bagcan

I'm not gonna front like I have any clue what she's saying, but it doesn't even matter.  She's still a badass in my book...

1024

1024 collective created this squares installation that has projections shot onto it that are controlled in real time to go with the music.  Pretty insano.


SQUARE3 / E. De Crecy Tests from 1024 on Vimeo.

I know that Etienne De Crecy was the first to use this technology for his tour, but I assume that this is the same technology that was used for the Killers performance at the MTV Europe Awards.

Double Take

These new sculptures by Fabio Viale have hit the blogosphere hard over the past couple of days and with good reason.  They look like they are made out of conventional materials, such as styrofoam.  Hell, the tires just look like tires!  I had to do a double take when I found out that these are made entirely of marble.  Wow.

Song of The Day

The xx - Basic Space.  This band is not getting a whole lot of attention in the US, but they are really good.  Their debut album is all very minimal but you can still dance to it...like electronic music for the eternally depressed.  All of you that know me know that I also have a sweet spot in my heart for all things goth!

Crystal Antlers

For all of you Columbus, OH residents, you should be at Cafe Bourbon Street on December 7th.  Crystal Antlers will be performing.  I really like their mix of modern riffs and psychedelic rock.  Here's one of my favorite songs off of their album Tentacles - Andrew.

Ambling Alp

The new Yeasayer single was released yesterday.  It will be on their new album, Odd Blood, set to release February 9th, 2010.  It's definitely a move on from what they created on All Hour Cymbals.  I really love these guys and think that they add something very unique to the very crowded world of music today.  Here's their performance of Ambling Alp from the Pitchfork Music Festival 2009.  You can also get their single for free on their website -

http://www.amblingalp.com/

Song of the Moment

Empire Of The Sun - Standing on the Shore.  This video is hella kooky, which is the case with all Empire Of The Sun videos.  For me, it just adds to the allure.  Anyone who can wear that much makeup and those costumes and still feel confident in themselves gets two thumbs up from me.  I do really love their songs!

Empire Of The Sun - Standing on the Shore (New) [HQ]
by wonderful-life1989

GUKKI BY GUKKI

My friends and I find pleasure in pronouncing luxury house names incorrectly, one of those being Gucci, which we pronounce with a "k" sound instead of the correct "ch" sound.  Apparently, this trend is cathing on.

James Franco: Gucci Commercial Outtakes from James Franco

WORK Part 3

The bravest woman in fashion, Daphne Guinness rocking those AMAZING Nina Ricci shoes from Olivier Theyskens' phenomenal final collection for the house!  I mean, who else would ever be brave enough to wear these out and about???

Empire State of Mind

This song and video make me miss the greatest city in the world!

Rise Up With Fists

I'm really feeling this song right now.  Oldie but goodie.

You Only Live Once

So, my posts today are going to focus around some of the stranger Twilight Zone moments that I've had during my week in D.C.  Another strange moment happened on Tuesday night.  I went to the grocery store with my mom, walking through a store from a chain here in the D.C. area named Giant.  This grocery store used to play jazzy muzak that I never really paid attention to.  Next thing I know, I'm hanging out in the deli section with my mom when "You Only Live Once" by the Strokes comes on in the store.  My mom starts humming along to the song, which is extremely strange given that, when the album You Only Live Once was released, I was completely obsessed and used to listen to it all the time and my mom HATED it.  Apparently, the album was ahead of it's time for the over 50 crowd and they now think it's the most relevant music out there.

Stillness Is The Move

I drove by a farm the other day and there were llamas right by the fence just staring at me.  Strange animals.  Either way, it reminded me of this video by Dirty Projectors.  It's one of my favorite songs of the year.  Also, I should mention that, as the llamas, this video is very strange.  I do wish I had a wolf on a leash though...

Dwight Eubanks Needs His Own Show

If you've been watching "The Real Housewives of Atlanta", then you know exactly who Dwight Eubanks is.  The girls definitely brought loads of drama this season, but the show would have lacked the level of drama that it had if Dwight was not part of all of it.  Also, he brought some of the more "interesting" fashions I've ever seen to television - the most well known being his massive ties.  But there are other reasons why Dwight needs his own show.  There are other looks that he never sported on television that I think deserve some time in the limelight.  For example, his half Yetty/half gay pirate look deserves some time in the spotlight - 

I wonder how many innocent animals had to die to create these pants for him - as tacky as he is, you know that he would never wear fake fur.  

Also - There's the half Ciara/half S&M Irishmen look that we never were lucky enough to witness on television - 

 Yes, this is real.  


Last, but not least, I think there needs to be an entire episode dedicated to Dwight's plastic surgery.  Come on now, you're not fooling anyone.  It's not possible for you to open you eyes in that manner without a little help from a knife.  I mean, I think we deserve to know how Dwight went from this - 

To looking like Lady Elaine from Mr. Rogers - 

 

Thakoon Spring 2010

I was scanning through my blog and noticed that I didn't really post a lot about my favorite shows from NY Fashion Week this season.  Granted - I don't think there was a lot of fashion happening, mainly commercialism shining through (oh America, the land of capitalism!), but there were some moments worth mentioning besides Alexander Wang.  One of those moments was Thakoon.  Thakoon has been lucky enough to be in Anna's good graces, as seen very clearly in The September Issue, but I think he has the muscle to back that up.  He always has a great sense of pattern and color and twists it in a very understated way.  This season, he updated with some great silhouettes and made things a little less pretty and toned down the feminine in a good way.  Things felt a bit edgier than what he normally does and it was very of the moment. 

Trannie Marc

Thanks for the photo, Emma!

Peanut Wiggins

It's been a year since David Allen Grier had his television show on Comedy Central - Chocolate News.  I loved it and am sad that it's gone now!  This was my favorite skit from that show.

Chocolate News	Wednesdays 10:30pm / 9:30c
Peanut Wiggins
www.comedycentral.com
Joke of the Day Stand-Up Comedy Free Online Games

Sea Within a Sea

This is an oldie, but a goodie.  This song is a good representation of how I feel today with this nasty weather going on!

Best in Show

Once again, I'm late to post this - about two weeks late to be exact.  I do still need to pay homage to the best show of the Spring 2010 season - Alexander McQueen.  This show was the future of things to come.  It mixed a great show, spectacular clothes, and technology in a way that has never been done before.  The moving cameras on stage were broadcasting to his retail locations across the globe in real time, so the entire world could have the experience his audience had in Paris.  The clothes were also an amazing combination of all of the things that Alexander McQueen has built his empire on - edwardian romanticism and elegance, first class tailoring and draping mixed with techno-nature prints.  All in all, this was an excellent collection for McQueen.  It's a culmination of all of the work he's put into his namesake collection since its inception and it was a wonderful testament to his importance in a landscape filled with so many talented designers. 

You're All Chrome

A-Track remix of "Heads Will Roll" by Yeah Yeah Yeahs.  Hottest remix of the year!
Listen here:

Stop Motion Tattoo

This is pretty amazing.  Check it out!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bearandyeti/4027491253/

If I Were a Girl

I'd wear Isabel Marant everyday.  Oh, and that would also require me flying to Paris every season to get the clothes.  Word on the street is that we are right around the corner from the first US store opening though!!!!  Get your wallets ready!

Haloween Costume Idea #6

I'm thinking more like the very beginning of the video with the sunglasses, scarf, and black lipstick.

Bon Iver

I just thought it was appropriate to post a song from one of my favorite artists from last year, Bon Iver, who just so happens to be from Madison, Wisconsin.  I did really love it there!

Haloween Costume Idea #5

The Girl and the Robot

Haloween Costume Idea #4

The moment happens at 2:12 to be exact.

WORK - part 2

me - rocking a very YSL men's Spring 2010 look - at Topshop in NYC this past weekend.

all I need is the leather jacket!

Haloween Costume Idea #3

Haloween Costume Idea #2

I know this is late....

Lady Gaga performing "Paparazzi" on SNL on October 3rd.  Really great performance!

Also - I wanted to let you know that I hung out with a bunch of Gaga haters this weekend and I actually kept my mouth shut!  Most of you know that I'll go off on a Gaga hater in a second, but I kept my mouth shut and just brushed it off.  I still think she's genius - oh, and apparently, so do millions of others across the world who have purchased her album.

Two Weeks

Grizzly Bear performed "Two Weeks" last night on Conan O'Brian with Victoria LeGrand from Beach House doing the backup vocals.  She added a nice touch to my favorite song of the year!

I Believe in You

My favorite moment from the concert last night.  Obviously, this video does not do justice to actually being there, but just so you get an idea.  Kylie made me cry!  I know...so gay.

I know, it's been a while!

Hi Guys!  Didn't want you to think that I've forgotten about you.  I just got back from New York.  It was a great weekend!  I stayed with my friend Eryc in Williamsburg, got to go to my friend Claire's birthday party at Brooklyn Bowl, had a night of mayhem in manhatten, and it all culminated with the Kylie Minogue concert at the Hammerstein Ballroom.  Wow.  What a show! 

As usual, I did opt for a moment of culture.  We went to MoMA and saw the Ron Arad exhibit.  This was actually my second time seeing it and trust me, it was still worth it!  The exhibit is amazing and is a retrospective of Ron's work over the past two decades.  Really amazing stuff!  Here's one of my favorite pieces.  It's not on display, but they do have a video showing it being created and installed.  If you are in NYC or will be soon, you need to go check it out.  Plus, you just need to go see the collection of art at MoMA.  They have acquired some new Robert Rauschenberg pieces and now have a full room dedicated to his works. 

WORK

Gaga and her Saturn Rings

Live SNL performance from this weekend.  She starts out with Love Game and then goes into her new song, Bad Romance.  I think it was a really good performance, not to mention that she's performing with metal rings orbiting around her body.

Bad Romance

New Lady Gaga song that premiered at the finale walk at Alexander McQueen's Spring 2010 runway show.  I'm loving it!

And the Winner Is.....

The most played band during the Spring 2010 runway season.....Major Lazer!

Major Lazer is a collaboration between two great DJ's - Switch and Diplo.  I listen to the album anytime I'm getting ready for a night of mayhem.  In honor of them being played on all the hot runways from Louis Vuitton to Alexander Wang, I've posted the video for Pon De Floor below.  You may be trying to figure out what the dancers are doing, it's a style of dance called pegging.  I'm sure you can figure out where the name came from.

Louis Vuitton Spring 2010 = Ravers from the future

ok - so the styling for the collection was a bit over the top, as was the case with Marc Jacobs' collection in NYC, but the reality is, a lot of the pieces coming down the runway were beautiful.  The fabrics themselves were beautiful and I did like the fact that these precious fabrics were taken and turned into real sportswear with an edge.  This is a trend that has been hitting the streets for about 2 seasons now, but this is definitely pushing that idea further.  Also - there was this new rave aspect to the looks that were coming down the runway, as if the raver girls from the 90's were sent to the future and told to go out and put new outfits together.  This is also something that has emerged as a trend this season, most notably at Missoni.  I know a lot of people will hate on this collection, but trust me, these pieces will be all over Editorial come Spring and will have an influence on what is happening in fashion for the season.

Dead Heart

Music video for the song, "Dead Heart" by Dead Man's Bones.  Their album was released yesterday and I really like it.  Check it out!

Dries Van Noten Spring 2010

After last season's view of fashion through Francis Bacon's eyes, Dries decided to go back to his home territory - the world travelling woman.  There was a definite Malaysian and Indonesian influence in the cut of the clothing and the fabrics, but the fabrics did definitely have a much more lux quality than what you would see if you were just shopping in a market in Asia.  The ikats and batiks were absolutely beatiful, as was the embellishments that were touches on many of the pieces.  The jewelry was also fantastic!  Personally, this is what I've always loved the most about Dries and what he does, so I'm happy to see him go back to his roots!

Lanvin Spring 2010

Alber Elbaz has turned Lanvin into the label that, in my point of view, epidemizes Parisian chic.  The collections are always feminine, strong, and put women on a pedistal.  This season, Alber gave his woman a bit of an edge.  The now signature draping was still throughout the collection, but the treatments in the fabric gave it a matte shine, almost rubbery appearance.  It also gave the fabric a crispness, which gave the draping a more enhanced effect.  The color was very focused, as was the proportion.  Everything was short and close to the body.  I think it was another successful collection for Lanvin.

Haloween Costume idea #1

Grace Bear

True Love Will Find You In The End

Girls covering Daniel Johnston's song, True Love Will Find You In The End.  Very nice!

Girls -- powered by http://www.magicrpm.com/

I FOUND IT!

Jim, this one's for you!  Papercuts - Future Primitive.  This is the song that opened the Rodarte Spring 2010 collection.  Really good track!

Foreground

One of my favorite songs from Grizzly Bear's recent album, Veckatimest.  Performed for Pitchfork in a church.  Ed Droste's voice is haunting.