22/06/2012

Persephoni and the Greek Fashion Crisis

Persephoni and the Greek Fashion Crisis

Spending the week in the whirl of Pitti Immagine Uomo 82, we lay the Pitti harvest to soak in our minds for the weekend, and we continue the tour through Greece’s fashion industry in the storm of the economical crisis by interviewing Peni Giannaki and Bill Georgoussis – the couple behind the Greek accessory label Persephoni.

Bill is a fashion photographer and Peni is a set and costume designer, and together these two occupations – combined with their passion for architecture – constitute the world of Athens-based Persephoni.

Peni Giannaki claims that the Greek people are often surprised to hear that Persephoni is a Greek brand, “Persephoni doesn’t have a national identity. However, there is definitely a movement that is coming out of Greece, but we don’t have a cohesive style yet. You could say that the brand is based on an ironic take on Greek traditions and customs”.

Starting out a couple of years ago, expectations on general acceptance from the fashion world were low. However, Browns London, Vogue Italia and Steven Meisel soon put a stop to the doubts. “The big boom came when stores we respected started ordering Persephoni, and the press gave us so much attention so quickly”, Peni acknowledges. However, being a brand based in Greece, the couple has definitely seen the backside to the financial situation.

“As an industry, fashion in Greece never really existed beyond its shores. Local fashion heroes are struggling on their own, but it’s really tough to grow somewhere when there is no fashion substructure or education. The only real industry that does exist are a few dominant high-street brands which compete with big international chains.”

To survive the financial crisis, Peni tells us that they are doing their best to remain calm and positive. “
It is really hard when you realize that your country’s future is hanging by a thread. There are a lot of businesses closing down but at the same time there is a strong business movement driven especially by young people who seek alternative, creative and productive business solutions. We are two of them. The whole financial crisis here is more psychologically crushing than anything else,” he concludes.

“What comes to the future for Greek fashion, I know there are many well-known Greek designers but unfortunately they’re not based in Greece. That makes for a weak fashion ground and future development. But at least it’s good to know that there’s Greek blood running around the international fashion veins.”

Petsy von Köhler – Photo courtesy of Bill Georgoussis 

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22/06/2012

Carven – A Perfect Ending of Pitti Uomo n°82

Carven – A Perfect Ending of Pitti Uomo n°82

It was with a sense for details, a good show and with a great portion of humour that the Pitti Uomo 82 Guest Designer Carven (with artistic director Guillaume Henry at the helm) presented the men’s collection last night. The special event was held at the Club Sportivo Firenze in Campo Velodromo delle Cascine; an old-school sports arena, beautifully decorated as a true Italian dining hall in the open air. Accompanied by black and white bow-tied waiters, live music and a sports commentator in the speakers, The Blogazine took part in the closing event of Pitti Uomo, while enjoying a seated dinner and a colourful collection.

Carven is one of the historical French labels that have gained international attention through the artistic director and designer Guillaume Henry’s creative research. The affordable luxury in perfect line with clean silhouettes and contemporary men’s fashion has brought new strength to the almost 70 years old fashion house. Last night’s special event for Pitti was a joyful moment and an unforgettable experience mixing Italian food culture and sport with fashion and laughter. The collection was brought out by male models rushing on foot or on bikes towards the finishing line, accompanied by black-and white suited waiters.

The great range of colours and contemporary elegance were an eminent contrast to the figurant waiters’ suits, and even though more focus was put on the actual show and the whole feeling created by Pitti Immagine and Carven, it was a great environment to show the collection.


Before the start of Pitti, Guillame Henry said that he hoped this unexpected rendez-vous outside of Paris and out of any calendars to be the occasion to express the freshness and the spontaneity that he is trying to forward through the label’s collections for both men and women.

He concluded with the sentence “Shall we meet in Florence, in pleasure and full of joy!” Merci monsieur Henry – we sure did!


Lisa Olsson Hjerpe – Image courtesy of Pitti Immagine 

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22/06/2012

Andrea Pompilio’s Metropolitan Man Back in Florence

Andrea Pompilio’s Metropolitan Man Back in Florence

In January Andrea Pompilio presented his F/W12-13 at Pitti Uomo n°82, an appreciated collection with an after-following media coverage that was of great help for the young brand. For this edition, Mr. Pompilio was back as one of the special events on the Pitti calendar, presenting S/S13 with a runway show at the Stazione Leopolda in Florence. The designer continued to combine fine Italian tailoring with a fresh metropolitan look where colours and the play with details were in focus.

The Blogazine met Andrea Pompilio for the first time in February for a 4-question-interview and discovered where the inspiration for his contemporary man comes from, as well as the must-wear-item for the “Pompilio man” Summer 2012. After the show last night at Stazione Leopolda, we met with the designer again.

“I love the last looks, and the oversize shirts and the new Capri inspired prints, but no, I don’t have only one favorite item in this collection– it’s so much larger! We showed 26 looks tonight and that is only one fifth of the collection.” About his feeling of being back in Florence with a special event he said, “Right now I am so happy, and so happy it’s over [laughs]! I love Florence, it is a fantastic centre for men’s fashion, and the cool, cheerful feeling during Pitti is unmistakable. Of course I also want to thank Pitti Immagine for all the support, giving me the opportunity of creating this event.”

During our talk Pompilio also mentioned the importance of colour in the collection, as well as the mesh as an important material for the summer collection.


The colours of the collection ranged from toned-down blues, greens, reds and yellow to popping orange and neon yellow. The white crisp shirts had colourful stripe detailing and the shorts were matched with high knee socks with a back-seam-stripe. The show presented a metropolitan look inspired by the real-life-man, balancing on the everyday wear and sport-inspired details.

Lisa Olsson Hjerpe – Image courtesy of Pitti Immagine 

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21/06/2012

Delphinarium – A Tribute to Delfina Delettrez

Delphinarium – A Tribute to Delfina Delettrez

Delfina Delettrez, fourth generation Fendi and talented jewelry designer, is not new to The Blogazine. From the We-Men collection in 2010 to the beautiful pieces of Metalphysic, we have been following the steps of this internationally acclaimed and appreciated young designer. Yesterday afternoon during Pitti 82, The Blogazine attended the opening of Delphinarium A Monographic Exhibition on Delfina Delettrez and got a tour through her world of jewelry.

“The fact that she is one of the most interesting and eclectic Italian artists in the field of contemporary jewelry, the fact that her prolific creativity coupled with an outstanding degree of curiosity and a profound sense of discipline and professionalism (resulting in ten different collections over the course of only five years) is already reason enough to dedicate a monographic exhibition to her – the first.”

These stolen words are an excellent motivation for the initiative of the show, expressing what the viewer will experience when walking through the four rooms at Palazzo Ricasoli in Florence – the new exhibition area of Galleria Antonella Villanova and Galleria Alessandro Bagnai. In addition to the short film Delfinasia directed by Asia Argento and the piece of jewelry made especially for the gallery, the exhibition presented iconic pieces from Delfina Delettrez’s collections between 2009 and 2012. Part of the presentation was an installation about the research of movement and it includes live animals; a beehive, colourful frogs and spiders, complementing the jewelry.

The inedited piece, Slow Emotion, expressively created for the gallery in 6 numbered pieces, marks a bond between Florence and Rome through the iconographic symbol of the turtle. It is a figure that has wide-ranging values attributed to it and which can be seen in piazzas and fountains in both cities. The bracelet showcases a beautiful range of colour and transparency with a nanoceramic finish, in the shape and pattern of a turtle’s shell.

Lisa Olsson Hjerpe – Image courtesy of Delfina Delettrez 

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21/06/2012

Peter Pilotto – Graphical Magic for Pitti W

Peter Pilotto – Graphical Magic for Pitti W

Last night Pitti Immagine together with this year’s guest designer of Pitti W, Peter Pilotto, invited us to a special event at the beautiful Palazzo Borghese in Florence. The designer duo that forms the company, Peter Pilotto and Christopher de Vos, met when they both were studying at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. The installation together with the following presentation for Pitti W 10 presented a colourful S/S13 pre-collection where light sculpturing, graphic patterns and fine detailing were in focus.


The computer-formed language on the invitation and the graphic carpet in the stairs leading the guests up to the main venue gave an immediate hint of the inspiration. The two designers’ different skills of textile knowledge, prints and silhouettes were put together in a subtle elegance, where the microscopic graphical prints met with the designers’ scientific fascination towards nature. Beside a video installation showcasing the collection completely in the spirit of computer graphics, Peter Pilotto gave the audience a live show. The set-up for the presentation let the viewer inspect, analyze and see the full detailing of the garments. The models’ positions, still standing bare on podiums, slightly shiny faces drew the mind to store window mannequins and it put the design itself in total focus.

It was the inspired and the excited half of the duo that The Blogazine met after the show. “This location, scene, this oppourtunity, these surroundings, THIS,” Peter Pilotto said about the inspiration, while looking around him, gesturing. Their modern take on female fashion left a little magic for the viewers’ own thoughts, created in the contrast of the majestic venue and the vivid installation.

Lisa Olsson Hjerpe 

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20/06/2012

MeMO – Museums and Men’s Fashion

MeMO – Museums and Men’s Fashion

The discussion of what is art and what is fashion is a constantly on-going one. With an opening party and three following Notte Bianca‘s Mondadori presents MeMO – musei e moda uomo. The project aims at taking an inventive angle to the male fashion during Pitti Uomo 82 and is dedicated to merging art and fashion through twelve video collections placed in the five Civic Museums of Florence. “Fashion is art and art is fashionable”, says Angelo Sajeva (president and CEO of Mondadori Pubblicità).


The opening event was held at Palazzo Vecchio on Monday night, the day before the official opening of Pitti Immagine Uomo. From here onwards the five chosen spots will be open for the public to enjoy 19 – 21 of June, between 7PM and midnight each evening. The pieces are produced by video makers specialized in fashion, and will help the companies to create a story and an image outside of their normal habits.

“Art and fashion are generally the fruit of the same input: creativity!” continues Mr Sajeva.

The project adds to the art-fashion discussion and the invited opening crowd were able to take part in an astonishing event and in a great starting point for the upcoming week in Florence and Pitti.


The pieces can be seen at Fondazione Salvatore Romano, Capella Brancacci, Museo Stefano Bardini, Museo de Palazzo Vecchio (Sala d’Arme) and Museo di S. Maria Novella (Cappella degli Spagnoli).

 

Lisa Olsson Hjerpe 

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20/06/2012

Pitti Uomo: Who Is On Next

Pitti Uomo: Who Is On Next

Pitti Uomo 82 has started, colouring the city of Florence with well-dressed people, fashion spirit and new talent. Some of that talent is presented in the project of Who Is On Next. Yesterday at 4:30PM the jury consisting of fourteen acknowledged fashion personalities, presented Swedish designer Erïk Bjerkesjö as the winner and new member of the now rather large Who Is On Next “family”.

“A lot of my inspiration comes from the austere and slightly barren nature of Gotland, where I’m originally from”, Bjerkesjö told The Blogazine after the prize ceremony.


Erïk Bjerkesjö -who started out with a shoe line two years ago- has now extended his aesthetics to include men’s clothing. “The silhouette of the new clothing collection is inspired by the way the craftsmen are looking like while working. Craftsmanship and artistic work are where my passion lies, and I am grateful for the belief the jury has in me. Now I’m going to continue to focus on great production,” the talent told us.

The designer earned his master in Advanced Footwear and Accessories in Italy, and all his shoes are produced by craftsmen in Tuscany. Bjerkesjö is a young talent, mixing the skills of Italian artisans with his Scandinavian roots, turning them into a personal and innovative collection.

Who Is On Next, which is a project in cooperation between Pitti Immagine Uomo, Alta Roma and L’Uomo Vogue, is promoting new talents and helps them to build name for themselves on the international arena among top buyers and press. The project started eight years ago focusing on women’s fashion, but is since that has also developed a large prize in the menswear area as well. New for this year is the partnership with Yoox.com. The online store awarded Andrea Cammarosano with the prize for the most innovative collection, and the designer will have his S/S13 collection exclusively on sale on yoox.com.


Lisa Olsson Hjerpe – Image courtesy of pittimmagine.com 

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20/06/2012

The Editorial: Vroom Vroom Kaboom

The Editorial: Vroom Vroom Kaboom

August is still a month away, but it is most certainly summer. Well, except maybe in Australia. But Italy is caldissimo, and the Pimms and sparkly orange spritz have suddenly reappeared right alongside cut-offs and other summer style abominations just in time for that yearly flesh and flab fest, the World Naked Bike Ride. Pedal pedal!

Yes, it’s all skin and sunshine for the next few months. And that means you’ll soon be on holiday. Last year we advocated adventure via staycation and choked at the thought of the millions of hermetically shut-in “resort” travellers , but in the spirit of what feels like more hopeful spin around the sun, this year we feel the exact opposite. Go. Far far far and wide. And since you’ll likely be leaving the realm of tubes and tramways, it’s well worth giving your mode of transport a long hard think.


For many of us city folk, the car has become ultimately a summer splurge. An appliance only useful on that rare occasion on which urban transport and/or two wheels just can’t suffice. A hedonistic escape pod, and not as for millions of suburbanites (and urbanites, too), a semipermanent multi-ton extension of the body that must be parked, fed, maintained and insured gratuitously. Still, for all the trouble the car causes, its romance is undeniable. And so its place as both a cancer (congestion, pollution) and lifeblood (we’re basically stuck with it in the short term) of our environments is something even the Oyster-card class must consider carefully.

It somehow seems that this year is a turning point. As discourses in environmentalism and urbanism and technology and culture surrounding the car continue to collide, the car’s future looks poised to drastically change. Fisker and Tesla are on the brink of launching mainstream (and sexy) electric cars, and alternative energy car startups are mushrooming. Cities are pushing cars out to make way for bike schemes and lanes. And many governments are on the brink of mandating accident avoidance measures that will make autos generally less autonomous and also makes self-driving cars all but imminent. Will we miss the good old days?

A simple equivalency says yes: +Big Brother = –Freedom. And it’s always touchy to argue that less freedom and less choice will make us better off.


But as GM, VW, Toyota, FIAT and other auto giants look towards China, Russia and India for driving profits, the capitalist machine will once again beat a dead horse until profits run dry. Afterall, there are still a few billion people who don’t own one. And shareholders certainly won’t stand for that. But exploding Tata Nanos, greying skies and dwindling oil reserves mean that, sooner than later, the car as we know it must die.

Still, even the hardcore haters among us know that the car can’t just disappear altogether. So what’s the way forward? Marvels of engineering prowess like the Chevrolet Volt? (Its political power certainly suggests there is something to it that has sure pissed off some oil companies…) Sweeping policy changes that crush the automobile industry and reformat the built environment to be feet- and cycle-centric? Something somewhere in between? In any case, the road as Kerouac and Friedlander and Ruscha once lived it is gasping for its last breaths. It’s sad, conflicting and excellent to see it go. Let’s enjoy it while it lasts.

You’ll hear from me from behind the wheel in that most maligned and car crazy of super cities, Los Angeles, over the next several weeks. Happy summer!


Tag Christof – Images David Freund

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19/06/2012

Art Basel round 2 – Art Unlimited

Art Basel round 2 – Art Unlimited

Among the numerous sections that composed the format of the 43rd edition of one of the most important and high-level fairs all over the world, we chose to focus on Art Unlimited, a huge group show launched in 2000 and dedicated to super-size artworks. As each year, the fair basement hosted an exhibition displaying monumental works – video projections, large-scale installations, sculptures and performances – selected by the Art Basel Committee. Supported by their galleries, artists created site-specific projects, which seem to be thought for museum spaces without thinking about the rules of the market.

It’s hard not to be attracted by the photo-realist painting by Rudolf Stingel, and not only because of the big size (335.3×475.2 cm). The canvas, impressively similar to a photograph and hung in a suggestively empty room, depicting the New York dealer Paula Cooper smoking a cigarette in a charming and theatrical position.

Another work capturing our attention was the installation entitled In Circles by Alicja Kwade, the Berlin based young Polish artist who explores by using different and often manipulated materials – metal plates, perforated metal, brass rings, euro coins, wood and glass panels, mirrors, neon tubes, bricks and so forth – the issues of authenticity and value of everyday life objects; while Shimabuku’s film, Shimabuku’s Fish & Chips, told the artist’s personal and ironic version of the English ever-present traditional food, showing the slow encounter of a potato swimming to meet a fish.


The photo-installation of 55 coloured pictures by Ryan McGinley closes the roundup of our selection. For this work, the American photographer – close to street artists, skateboarders and musicians – shot adoring and delighted fans during summer music festivals in United States and in Europe. In You and My Friends once again McGinley, was able to capture emotional moments of young people through intense close-ups, artificial colours and flaming lights.

Art Basel 2012 closed its door after 65.000 visitors and a very good (but not quantified) number of sales. The fair sustains its success thanks to the high quality of the galleries and works exhibited, and above all due to its ability to create unique cultural events that accompany and enrich its value year after another. We hope to see you there next year, or better yet, to see you in May 2013 for the first Honk Kong edition of Art Basel.


Monica Lombardi

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19/06/2012

Art Basel -Vitra Design Museum

Art Basel -Vitra Design Museum

Having seen VitraHaus photographed so many times, you don’t expect to be surprised when visiting for the first time the Swiss-German complex. Actually, taking the first glance at the beautiful Herzog & de Meuron building and seeing the already design monument among the green in Weil am Rhein does come as a surprise. Although the superstar building is the first one you fall in love with, the whole complex situated at Charles Eames Str. n. 2 is pure poetry for design lovers.


Even though VitraHaus is the first attraction you wander in, it may come as a delusion for those expecting it to be the altar of design. If you imagine yourself entering VitraHaus and finding a design museum, expect to be slightly deluded. VitraHaus is simply an incredibly beautiful showroom of an incredibly innovative design manufacturer. Nothing more, nothing less. Although all the interiors are designed to the tiniest details (such as jars on the kitchen shelves or books on the coffee tables), it doesn’t offer a tour of the company’s history.

For these purpose, Vitra has built a Design Museum (designed by Frank Gehry) that periodically creates exhibitions, drawing significant amount of the material out of their archives. The exhibition currently on stage is a retrospective of Gerrit Rietveld’s work, entitled “Revolution of Space”. The Dutch master is being told through a series of objects, furniture, drawings and architecture, showing his relation to De Stijl movement as well as modernist design in general.


While the museum was paying the honours to the grand designer, the nearby gallery has gathered a number of contemporary designers working in The Netherlands. The show has been entitled Confrontations and displays the work produced in collaboration between designers and local Swiss industry and artisans. The designers invited are Lucas Maassen, 2012 Architecten, Studio Wieki Somers, Dirk Vander Kooij and the omnipresent Studio Formafantasma.

The aforementioned exhibitions weren’t the only thing on display at Vitra Campus. We must mention seeing a geodesic dome by Buckminster Fuller, a bus stop by Jasper Morrison, a fire station by Zaha Hadid, a petrol station by Jean Prouvé, an auditorium by Tadao Ando and production line buildings by Frank Gehry, Kazuyo Sejima/Sanaa, Alvaro Siza and Nicholas Grimshaw. A line-up that may just take us a while digesting.


Rujana Rebernjak

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