The Tree of Life

I saw this trailer today.  I had goosebumps by the end of it!  Looks like another visual masterpiece created by Terrence Malick

Rain Beaus

Three weeks ago, I was in a meeting trying to convince my boss that bright and primary colors were making a comeback.  She looked at me like I was crazy.  I'm hoping that this is just the beginning of a long run of editorials focused on color for the upcoming season.  I will print each and every one of them and leave them on her desk!

Raf's Army

Fantastic editorial film encapsulating the 15 year career of Raf Simons, by Pierre Debusshere.  I love you, Dazed!

Post Acid

Wavves decided to give us a Christmas present!  They dropped a video for "Post Acid".  Enjoy!

World Trade Center

I love you, Keith Haring!

Paris Byzance Pre Fall 2011

Transitional collections have become more and more important for high end fashion houses.  Resort has always been the larger focus, but Pre Fall is gradually gaining in importance.  After Chanel's stellar collection, I'm sure all eyes will be on Pre Fall.  Chanel is one of the most luxe houses in the market and really injects a little bit of couture in every collection, but this Pre Fall collection pushed ready to wear into a whole new realm of luxe.  No detail was left out.  The knit pieces in this collection are out of this world! 

Invisible Light

I'm so happy a video was made for my favorite dance track of the year!  When this song first came out, I listened to it nonstop for 2 weeks.  It was insanity.  It's a fantastic song!

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I'm Impressed!

So, H&M, they normally aren't my cup of tea.  In my eyes, they are normally an outlet that caters to everyone's taste and, therefore, lacks a true personal identity.    Don't get me wrong, they do shock me every once and a while, and their collaborations are amazing(I love you, Lanvin!), but they aren't my cup of tea.  The video lookbook for their Spring 2011 line through me off!  I was not expecting that at all!  They covered all the major trends of the season, hit the nail on the head with the color palette, and even had some fun - I'm looking at you, man romper!  It was a nice little surprise and a reason to stop in their store come January.

To Lee, With Love, Nick

Tribute to Alexander McQueen by Nick Knight, music by Björk from SHOWstudio on Vimeo.

Congratulations

My way of giving initial congrats to all of my favorite things of the year!  Strangely enough, this song and video by MGMT rank up there as favorites for 2010.  





I'll be posting all of my favorite things of the year shortly!  

Fashion Inspiration - Nick Knight

Nick Knight is a true innovator, leading the way for fashion photography for the past 30 years.  His images will forever be burned into my memory and are the story board for the moments that I remember and love the most about fashion.  This interview is really insightful.  



BoF Fashion Pioneers | Nick Knight in conversation with Imran Amed from The Business of Fashion on Vimeo.

HIPSTER SOUL TRAIN!!!

MIRACLES CLUB - "CHURCH SONG" from Mexican Summer on Vimeo.

Dancehall Queen

The Suburbs

New video for Arcade Fire's amazing track, "The Suburbs", which also happens to the the name of the album.  Directed by the also very amazing Spike Jonze

  

Indestructible

Music video for "Indestructible", Robyn's new single off her third album release of the year, Body Talk Pt. 3.  I am so super excited to see Robyn live this Saturday in Portland!

Trannie Realness Pt. 2

Mrs. Jacobs on the cover of Industrie magazine wearing his own creations from the Fall/Winter 2010 collection. 

What's My Name

just released video for the new Rihanna track, "What's My Name" featuring Drake.  My favorite song right now!

Get Some

Amazing new video for Lykke Li's new track.

IS THIS TOO MUCH?!?

Oh well, it's too late, I just bought it on eBay.....

ANYONE CAN MAKE IT

I MEAN, LOOK AT KE$HA......

Riot Rhythm

Sleigh Bells "Riot Rhythm" from Bo Mirosseni on Vimeo.

Seven Days in Tibet

Absolutely brilliant photoshoot titled, "Seven Days in Tibet" in November's issue of Harper's Bazaar Indonesia.

New Music for Fall 2010

Every Fall/Winter, my musical tastes turn towards my darker side.  I gravitate towards very sparse production quality, moody vocals, and goth undertones.  This year, my musical prayers have been answered by Zola Jesus.  She's released a couple of EP's this year and can't wait for her full length album to be released!

Lanvin For H&M

The most anticipated fashion collaboration of the year is soon to be released!  Lanvin and H&M have joined forces to create a beautiful capsule collection that really embodies the vision that Alber Elbaz and Lucas Ossendrijver see for the world.  Here are some words from Alber about the collection.  I'm waiting in line for this one!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TILDA!

My favorite actress in the world turns 50 today.  Happy Birthday Tilda!  I love you!

The Legacy

I didn't want this moment to happen.  In fact, I wanted Gucci Group to fall flat on their faces for even attempting to keep the Alexander McQueen label alive past his death.  He was such a force in the fashion world that it's impossible to imagine that anyone could take his place.  I wanted this Spring collection to be a complete flop.  As much as I wished for it, it didn't come true.  Sarah Burton did the impossible by creating a collection that Lee would have been proud of.  This collection hinted at all of the elements that made McQueen famous, yet moved them forward.  The clothes had an undeniable sense of femininity.  I loved that the collection started with a series of jackets that had the shoulder seam busted open, giving a relief to the strong shoulder that has been so prevalent in women's fashion for the past 4 seasons.  The craftsmanship that went into these pieces is astounding.  This collection was a real surprise and an unexpected treat.

Lanvin Hearts H&M

And so do I!!!  The most anticipated fashion collaboration of the year is being released a couple of weeks from now.  I'm so excited!!!

LANVIN FOR H&M. SEE THE FULL COLLECTION AT HM.COM

Spirit Animal

Did I ever tell you kids that I danced on a couch with her at a Lollapalooza after party?!?  We jumped around for a while while she ate candy.  R Kelly was in the corner.  When I realized he was there, I knew it was time to go!  It was one of my favorite nights ever.  

The Dog Days Are Over

So, I've been dragging ass when it comes to updating my blog with fashion shows for Spring 2011!  I do have to say that a major reason for the delay is that it's become very difficult for me to find good videos of the shows!  I do think that it makes a world of difference to get to see the clothes move.   So, I'm still playing catch up.

Ok, back to business.  The Paris portion of fashion month really started out with a bang for me.  Dries Van Noten's collection was one of the very first ones in the city and it really set a tone for some of the most anticipated collections in Paris.  Dries always has his finger on the pulse and his ear to the streets.  This collection was another perfect execution in blending femininity with a play on proportion that blended into a collection that was SO street.  Milan gave us a shock of color that seemed to have hopped onto a plane from Proenza Schouler's fantastic season closer in NYC.  Dries gave us a palette cleanser.  The color was all barely there in the solid pieces and the print pieces had a wonderful bleached out effect that left just a shadow of a print in parts of the clothes.  Dries did play with proportion in a way that was an unexpected surprise in the Milan shows, but nobody can do it quite the way Dries can.  Some of those pieces looked as if they would fall of the model if she shifted the wrong way.  Dries also has the most amazing ability to put a worldly influence in his work and the kimono prints were a subversive way of keeping the world in mind.  The pieces that I loved the most from this collection were the anti-fit dresses that were an example of masterful cutting and draping.  They were deceptively simple and oh so elegant.  This collection showed us all that Dries will continue to influence what women want.

Jil Sander Sring 2011

Spring 2011 turned out to be quite a powerful season for fashion.  For the past two years, every collection has been a reinforcement of the house language or a safe and salable collection.  Those boundaries were broken for Spring 2011.  Designers began to feel joy in what they do again.  I was very happy to see this change.  I have enough to be depressed about in my daily life, I don't need fashion to add to it!  


Raf Simons has never been one to be safe and there have been occasions when his risk taking doesn't work out to his benefit.  When it works, it shines beyond what anyone is doing around him.  His latest collection for Jil Sander was a revelation.  It was one of those moments that you know is going to cause a ripple throughout fashion.  The proportion of the pieces reminded us of YSL's genius with couture.  The color was so refreshing!  The minimalism was so Jil Sander.  This collection sang from beginning to end.  It was, hands down, one of the strongest collections of the season.


p.s. - This is not the music from the actual runway.  It was actually music from the film, Psycho.  

Boyfriend

Strangely enough, this song speaks to me right now.  It also happens to be one of my favorites, but it's funny enough that I have someone in mind now when I sing this song.  I'm putting it out into the universe.

Tranny Realness

James Franco shot by Terry Richardson for Candy Magazine.  Pretty amazing!

RUNAWAY

If you have an extra 34 minutes to spare, you must watch Kanye's new video for "Runaway".  I know, many people hate him, but his creativity cannot be denied.  In case you were wanting to know who designed the fantastic feather jacket, it was custom designed by Philip Lim for this video.  Pretty amazing!

Drumroll Please!!!

And the Designer of the Year as named by Design Miami is Konstantin Grcic!  I really admire his work and it's very interesting to get to hear him speak about his process and what drives him to continue his work.  

Only Girl

So, I do have a spot in my heart for female pop stars.  Rihanna has been there since the beginning of her career.  I am absolutely in love with this song!

INFLUENCERS

I'm definitely going to see this when it is released.  Seems like an interesting perspective on a conversation that has been happening over the past couple of years - what makes something stand out from the millions of messages that hit people every day?

INFLUENCERS TRAILER from R+I creative on Vimeo.

BARBARA STREISAND

I know I'm a bit late to the party, but I'm totally in love with this song and video!

Tortured Soul

I'm going through an internal struggle right now.  I've blurred the lines between me trying to understand what that final piece of the puzzle is for my own personal fulfillment with trying to understand why one of my friends is doing something that I feel is absent of any positive fulfillment.  I feel torn and now am trying to weed out my needs from my concerns for my friend.  I feel very much like one of the twisted creatures that made Robert Longo famous....

The Spirit Was Gone

Antony and the Johnsons released a new album yesterday.  With it came a video for a song on the album, "The Spirit Was Gone".  It's comprised completely of video footage taken of the amazing Kazuo Ohno, the face of a haunting Japanese dance form known as Butoh.  This is one of the most hauntingly beautiful songs ever written by Antony and the video is very fitting.  

ENTER THE VOID

Going to watch this tomorrow.  So excited!!!

Limit To Your Love

Cover of the fantastic song by Feist, performed by James Blake.  This song was one of my favorites from her last album and I never thought I would ever hear a cover that could match the genius of the original track.  I DEFINITELY didn't expect to hear it from a 21 year old musician.  The song has always been a sad song about coming to the realization that you are in a relationship with someone who isn't giving as much as you are and never will, but James' interpretation takes it to a much darker place, and I really love it!  Can't wait for his debut album!

RUNAWAY

I am actually looking forward to this.  Never thought I would say those words in association with Kanye West, but he's surprised me once again.

Nomadic Minimalism

I don't think there's any other way to describe the latest Bottega Veneta collection.        Once again, the minimalist 90's influence showed it's face in this collection.  What I found most interesting in this collection was the use of fabric.  The series of dresses that started the show were composed of at least 3 fabrics each.  This collection also touch upon some trends that became spotlights for the season - deconstructed garments and unexpected embellishment.  Many of the pieces in the collection had unfinished hems and the seam allowance was exposed to the exterior.  Tomas also focused on embellishing in an unexpected way.  The perfect example would be the metallic dress with goose down feathers embroidered all over.  These are the details that someone who is really looking for luxury is lusting over.  It's not about showing everyone how much you have, it's about showing those who do have a lot that you are better than they are.

Black Magic

Video Presentation for Gareth Pugh Spring/Summer 2011 collection.  Really amazing.  After watching this, the runway show just doesn't do the collection justice!



Gareth Pugh S/S 2011 Collection - Director: Ruth Hogben from SHOWstudio on Vimeo.

Sunshine

This song makes me miss summer!  

Baptism

Obviously, there's a trend with the music that's turning me on right now.  The first Crystal Castles album was touch and go for me.  The second album is SO GOOD.  I'm glad I gave them a second chance!

ASIA

Video for "Asia" by my favorite band of the moment, Salem.  I'm really into Witch House.

IT'S TIME FOR THE PERCUMAJOR

Sabor de Fendi

I didn't want to get ahead of myself, so I'm going to continue to post my favorite collections from Milan.  As I mentioned during my Prada post, there was a major Latin flavor running through Milan this year.  It was a nice way for the italians to take on the return to minimalism that has become the overarching trend throughout this fashion season.  Fendi also took this trend on and Karl created something that stands on it's own without relying on trend.  His collection definitely had a laidback latin elegance running throughout.  There was a nod to the 70's in here as well, which has also been a trend sprouting up here and there.  The most interesting thing about this collection is that it was not directly inspired by Latin America in any way.  Karl was playing with proportion and geometry and the results happened to be oh so current.  In terms of proportion, everything was more languid and voluminous at the same time.  Rises were higher, skirts were longer and a bit fuller, everything was slightly drop shoulder with a longer and more full sleeve.  EVERYTHING was nipped in at the waist.  It all felt right.  What else do you expect from the Kaiser?  What I also like about this collection is that it continues to reinforce that Karl is no longer treating Fendi like an after thought.  He's developing a design language for the brand and it's really beginning to stand on it's own two legs.  

Te He Visto Pasar

In a strange twist of events, the Spring 2011 fashion show season began in Milan. Normally, Milan gives us the most commercial collections of the season, with very little editorial appeal.  There have always been exceptions to this rule, but this season, it feels as if the tables have turned.  Milan has given us so many collections that are pushing fashion to the next level.  


For me, the season really kicked off with the latest dreamy collection given to us by Prada.  In my eyes, Prada has consistently been one of those exceptions to the Milan rule.  Miuccia is constantly bringing new ideas to the table and pushing the rest of the pack forward.  This collection sparked a new trend for the season that many of the Milan pack have shown - a flair for Latin American Romanticism.  What amazed me the most about this collection was that there was still that minimal undertone that has dominated the fashion scene since Pheobe Philo's triumphant return at the house of Celine, but it was infused with amazing touches that helped push this collection to another level.  The silhouettes felt very simple, but were taken to the next level with the use of color, print, and pattern.  As simple as many of these pieces seemed, they were actually very masterful in their cut, giving a unique proportion through the chest into the sleeve.  This has been played around with for a couple of seasons now in many collections, but this was a consistent theme through this collection.  The use of color was outstanding here.  The injection of the monkey and banana prints was an unexpected surprise.  The fabrics had a very tribal and naive essence to them, as if they had been made by artisans in Cuba.  The return to the stark black minimalism that marked Prada's spot in the fashion world during the 90's also felt new again.  This collection was like a breathe of fresh air and many other collections in Milan picked up on the same scent.  

HIPSTERS ARE EVERYWHERE

Including Houston Texas.  And they took the liberty to make this music video for "Home" by LCD Soundsystem.  They even included yuppies in the video!!!



LCD Soundsystem "Home" from FUNWUNCE on Vimeo.

Shibori Shitshow

Sorry, I couldn't help it!  That is in memory of two of my greatest friends, Jim and Laurie, who I love dearly.  Shibori became an "it" word in our previous jobs and they were forced to create garments using this Japanese dying technique.  The result became known as the Shibori Shitshow.

That being said, Proenza Schouler used this same dying technique throughout their latest Spring 2011 collection with amazing results.  Jack and Lazaro have been watched by the fashion industry since their Parsons graduation collection shown in 2002.  They were immediately picked up by Barneys and the rest is history.  I have been a fan of their work for as long as I can remember.  That's not to say that they haven't had some misses in the past.  The boys have been back on their game since their lackluster collection of Spring 2009.  In my opinion, this was the strongest collection to date for the brand.  It had such a strong point of view, covered the trends of the season, but interpreted them in an unexpected way.  The color was unexpected, given the dominance of neutral in NY this season.  There was such an amazing amount of detail in everything that came down the runway, from the shibori dying to the embroidery as lace.  It was refreshing, spoke to the trends of the season, while continuing to speak to the PS girl.  Outstanding.

THERE'S NO BLACK IN THE COLLECTION

That was one of Wang's first comments to any editor reviewing the board before the show.  It came to a shock to many that the king of IT girl fashion would have no black in his latest collection.  Many editors are wondering if his loyal fans will continue to be loyal.  I say YES!  Here's a couple of reasons why - 


1 - It's fashion, people!  If he had sent another sea of body con black dresses down the runway, he would have been panned for not being innovative enough.  Why the double standard, all of a sudden?
2 - The tide has changed.  The age of over the top opulence has passed and people are looking for a palette cleanser.  All the things that were once loved will now be hated by the consumer.  They will be drawn to that which is unexpected.  The numbers don't lie, people!  Fall started off as another season of fur, heavy embellishment, and expensive fabric, and retail is having a VERY tough 3rd quarter!
3 - Wallets around the world are the smallest they've ever been.  The need to don new duds every season is wearing thin, so girls are holding on to those pieces that they loved so much from seasons passed.  What girl wouldn't hold on to her old Wang?!?  As a result, why would she buy more Wang this season if it looks just like what she has in her closet?


Beyond my rants as a person that works on the business side of fashion, the reality is, this collection hit every trend that will be important for this season.  WHITE will be the color of the season.  Anything that isn't white will be a beautiful pastel.  Embellishment is back to a minimal state of being. Proportion is oh so important and it's not about being skin tight any more.  Playing with transparency is still important.  Overall, I still count this as a success. 

CITY OF GOD

Short film by Alejandro Jodorowsky for V Magazine.


CITY OF GOD from V Magazine on Vimeo.

Virgencita

Barricade

The second music video to be released in anticipation of Interpol's new self titled album, dropping September 7th, 2010.  I've been an Interpol fan for a very long time now and so far, I can't wait to hear the new album.  All of the new tracks I've heard are a great blend of what I loved about both "Turn on the Bright Lights" and "Antics".  I hope it lives up to my expectations!

Beach Bubbles

This video is stunning.  It's difficult to believe it's real, but there were no special effects used to make this video.  The movement of these massive bubbles reminds me of the movie, The Abyss.  I could watch this over and over again!

Thank You For Your Love

New video for "Thank You For Your Love" by Antony and the Johnsons.  Every video made for Antony has a haunting quality to it, and this video is no exception!

Madder Red

This video is hard to explain.  I should start by saying that I'm proud that Yeasayer has gotten to the point where they have an amazing director such as Andreas Nilsson wanting to create a music video for that.  Then, you team that with Kristen Bell, which is kind of mind blowing.  The reason I have a hard time explaining this one is because it's equal parts odd, funny, and heart wrenching.  I never thought that a primordial blob could take me on an emotional ride for 4 minutes!  

I Never Thought Painting Walls Would Make Me Want To Cry!

This is an ad for the Dulux Let's Colour Project.  It was shot all around the world in 4 weeks and the places that were painted remain as they are seen in this video.  The song in the ad is by Jonsi, the lead singer of one of my all time favorite bands, Sigur Ros.  It's such a visually striking ad and is so beautiful.  Sometimes I wish I could see a place being transformed at this speed before my eyes.  

Cold War

I just started to really get into Janelle Monae.  When she was first signed, there was much concern over the fact that she was signed to Bad Boy.  I fed into that concern as well.  When I first saw her, I was really struck by her image.  She had SUCH strong personal style and a larger than life presence.  Her first album was ok, but it wasn't anything groundbreaking.  It was really riding on a lot of the trends that were happening in music at that time, thanks to Amy Winehouse and Duffy. Then, I move to Seattle, start listening to KEXP, and I start hearing these fantastic R&B songs and was really surprised to find out that they are by Janelle Monae.  I bought the album and was really struck by what I heard.  It's experimental, pushing soul/R&B to a whole new place, but it's also accessible.  I then saw a tribute to Prince on the BET Awards, and Janelle had one of the most EPIC moments I've ever seen on live TV.  She was electric.  This week, a new music video was released for one of my favorite songs on the album, "Cold War", and it shook me to my core.  It is the most emotionally raw music video that I can remember.  This song obviously means a lot to her (as it does to me) and I think it's amazing that she let us see this moment of emotion in such an intimate way.  It's such a beautiful video for that.  I can't wait to see where Janelle takes us next!

Thank You For Your Love

New Antony and the Johnsons!  Antony is one of my favorite artists.  He's so talented and so unique and wears his heart on his sleeve with everything he does. I had the privilege of seeing him perform live a year and a half ago and it was one of the most memorable moments I've experienced.  Truly beautiful!  I'm so excited for this album to drop in October!

Dries Van Noten Mens Spring 2011

Dries has really been on a roll since his major comeback in 2003.  Before that point, he was an unknown designer to most Americans, despite the fact that he presented his first menswear collection in 1986 and was part of the now relatively well known Antwerp Six.  For the past several years, his menswear collections have jumped to three major trends - world traveler, military garments and 80's street wear.  In his past three years, something magical began to emerge.  Dries has begun to meld all of his influences in an unexpected way, really creating a whole new design language, giving his collections a world of their own to call home.  His Spring 2011 collection is no exception.  There is definitely a street wear influence that shows through the bleached denim and paint splattered pieces, but there's a strict menswear influence through the tailoring in the single and double breasted blazers and menswear shorts and pants.  The color palette was spot on with trend, offering a range of blues, khakis and nude shades, while offering some really fresh blush tones.  The integration of Indian inspired menswear checks that you would expect to see on foreign silks was an unexpected twist that only Dries can pull off.  All in all, the impact was undeniable and the fact that Dries was able to pull all of his references off so seamlessly in one collection was very unexpected.  All in all, a winner!

I Am Love

I'm going to try to go see this movie today.  Tilda is one of my favorites and can do no wrong in my eyes.  This film looks stunning!

UUUUUUGHHHHH HOW DID I MISS THIS?!?!???!!!???

So, this happened last night, and I TOTALLY MISSED IT!  I hate myself for not watching late night talk shows the way I used to!  Interpol performed their PHENOMENAL new single, "Barricade" on Letterman last night.  These guys better come to Seattle at some point this fall. 

Digital Orca

I'm going to have to take a trip to Vancouver just to see this sculpture in person!    Digital Orca by Douglas Coupland.

BOYZ BOYZ BOYZ

Boys of Paris Fashion Week SS2011 from Justin Wu on Vimeo.

But It's Chanel???!???

This is AMAZING.  AMAZING.


Joe Zee from Elle US walking the streets of NYC wearing one of the Yeti Suits that opened the Chanel RTW Fall 2010 collection.  Enjoy!

Hang With Me

I'm having such a love affair with Robyn right now!  I'm so glad that her genius is being appreciated by the likes of Pitchfork, Spin, and Entertainment Weekly.  There is an honesty that comes through in every one of her tracks.  She is wearing her heart on her sleeve and is not afraid to let you know what she's really feeling, no matter how uncomfortable it can be at times.  This song is the first single off her next release, Body Talk Pt. 2.  I can't wait to hear the rest of the tracks off of this next release!



Robyn - Hang With Me official video from Robyn on Vimeo.

Silver Moons

A follow up to my last post.  A video of Sunset Rubdown performing "Silver Moons" for Pitchfork.  This song is from their amazing album, Dragonslayer, released in 2009.  Definitely one of my favorite albums of 2009.