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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15/06/2012

Sustainable Fashion – An Impact For the Long Run

Sustainable Fashion – An Impact For the Long Run

Organic, ecologic, sustainable, fair trade, vintage, second hand, recycled, ethically produced – the list of words related to the environmental question in production as well as in fashion is long. The number of designers and brands taking environmental and social responsibility is growing, and organisations within the fashion industry are trying to start a movement of sustainability. Simultaneously, economical advisors like Jeremy Rifkin are asking the question: “Can we reach biosphere consciousness and global empathy in time to avert planetary collapse?”


Sustainable design refers to production made with the consideration of how the product will affect its surroundings, both environmentally and socially, throughout its life span. Sustainability or “eco fashion” has been, and still is, a trending topic in the industry. It’s a complex matter and although many companies are seeking ways to change their customs, it’s really a question of motives. Making the production more effective or using methods kinder to the environment might be driven by the will to make an impact in the long run, but in some cases one could also talk about trends, market demands or economical forces.


For a development that meets today’s needs without compromising future generations, the fashion industry needs to embrace the concept and fully integrate a sustainable thinking into the way the business is done. Inspiration is to be found from famous concepts and ongoing discussions; Jeremy Rifkin created the concept of the Third Industrial Revolution where business owners become an important part of the energy game. Cross-industry relationships are creating new possibilities, and increased productivity also helps to ease the climate changes. Copenhagen Fashion Summit and the project NICE Fashion gathered last month many key stakeholders to one of the largest fashion summits, with the goal to enhance the importance of creating a sustainable future in one of the most polluting industries.

The discussion about CSR, sustainability and eco fashion has reached the point where scattered voices have to become collective initiatives. The industry stands before the challenge to find smart ways in production, and to create a business system that consciously and effectively decreases the negative impact on the surroundings. Like Kirsten Brodde from Greenpeace International puts it, it is a question of turning “eco fashion into simply fashion”.

Lisa Olsson Hjerpe – Image courtesy of Copenhagen Fashion Summit

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14/06/2012

The Antwerp Six – 33 Years Later

The Antwerp Six – 33 Years Later

Last weekend a new breed of Antwerpian couturiers were presented as The Royal Academy of Fine Arts revealed the Graduate collections, 33 years after the birth of the infamous Antwerp Six.

In the year of 1988, Walter Van Beirendonck, Ann Demeulemeester, Dries van Noten, Dirk Van Saene, Dirk Bikkembergs and Marina Yee nailed Antwerp to the map as a fashion city. The group would eventually in the years of 80/81 graduate from the school, but in 88 they all squeezed together in a truck and headed for The London Fashion Fair where they presented their collections and marked a new era. Their aesthetics differences aside, the common ground was clearly the experimental silhouettes and conceptualism – no wonder Martin Margiela is often considered the 7th member of the family.


The international influence of the Antwerp Six is a complex and vast subject. However, while studying this years master’s students you soon realize that Van Noten, Margiela & Van Demeulemeester never really left the building.

Manon Kündig has channelled Van Noten’s sense of layering as well as colouring and printing. Ray Benedict Pador introduced a contemporary gothic man in the spirit of Van Deulemeester – with a pinch of S/M-culture. Finally, So Takayama sang her louanges to Margiela, as she sent her mannequins down the runway in exaggerated paper-like silhouettes.


Belgian designer Alexandra Verschueren, who graduated from the very same school in 2009, has acknowledged the Antwerp Six’s influence on the school and Belgian fashion community, “I think it definitely influenced me in a way. It always felt kind of weird to have six such great designers, since Belgium is such a small country.”

For the past 30 years the country has been a noted fashion nation in their own right, with a heritage that will continue to grow with every new generation of designers, as they interpret the days gone by.

Petsy von Köhler

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11/06/2012

Antwerp SHOW2012

Antwerp SHOW2012

Founded in 1663, the oldest of its kind in Europe and the starting point for Martin Margiela, Haider Ackermann, Peter Pilotto, Dries van Noten and Ann Demeulemeester (the two last-mentioned also being part of the far-famed Antwerp Six) among others, the Antwerp Royal Academy of Fine Arts is a school with a resourceful fashion department where creativity comes first. 7 – 9th of June it was time for SHOW2012, the final runway for the eleven Master Students about to graduate.


Outside of the trend hub where eventful glamour is represented in addition to the actual fashion, Antwerp is a city with its own profile. Fashion people are seen as individuals interested in the society and ethical issues aside from the aesthetics, and fashion is to be seen in the largest of senses. Maureen De Clercq, teacher in fashion design at the Academy, says that “the atmosphere is creative, dynamic and has a lot of energy”. The industry people come to the city to see the final runway shows, to be surrounded by and to be a part of that feeling.


As a school, the Academy focuses a lot on experimentation, improvisation and innovation, as well as on the creative talent and the students’ ability to express themselves through their drawings. As the viewer has to be kept interested and the media pushes out new trends, these focal points are to foster future designers to see above previous horizons and turn well-known concepts in their heads. Located near the industry but somehow isolated from the fashion hysteria, Antwerp and the Royal Academy with its students seem to have found their own rhythm within the industry, mediating a pragmatic calm where the explosive details are within the arts – which are blooming.


The SHOW2012 collections had extravagant details, often leaving conventional to the side. Through the presentations the collections called to evoke emotions and express something outside the garments. The graduates showcased their work by presenting the abilities of creativity, detailing and innovative techniques, before being thrown into the “real world”. With Antwerp’s resume and history in mind one can expect to come across the graduate names again – behind the name of a fashion house, scaled down or in their full blossom of extremity.

See a complete runway video from SHOW2012 here.


Lisa Olsson Hjerpe

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08/06/2012

Eyebrows – A Trending Detail

Eyebrows – A Trending Detail

Every season the major trends are presented on the runway, and as most trends, quickly trickled down, adapted and redefined to garments sold to the big masses through department stores. Together with these, there is the staging of the minor ones – the details making the look. These trends are for sure carried out to all levels of the market as well, but might claim a bit more work than a simple buy, and at least momentarily they tend to be a permanent change in a person’s everyday look. This season and even more so for Fall 2012 it’s the eyebrows calling for attention, or, if one is gifted with large, dark and rather rough ones – no attention at all.

Just like the dip-dye and bi-coloured hair trend, eyebrows have been trending and growing over the past seasons. From the thin, super shaped “Kevyn Aucoin 90’s eyebrows” all the way to fuller and less well defined ones. Looks rarely come out of the blue – they are a logical evolution from a forerunner, a way to express a cultural drift or a response to changes in the society.

Eyebrows might seem like an insignificant thing in the whole trend discussion but the fact is that they often do a lot for the total look, answering to the demand of change. The non-perfect, thick arches are often associated with a feeling of youth, as well as they contribute to a carefree, “wake-up-and-walk” look. In opposite, we have throughout previous seasons also seen the bleached out eyebrows creating a much more dramatic act and referencing to a different type of appearance. For Fall 2012, several fashion houses presented magnified eyebrows. Brushed up at Chloé, deep dark and enlarged at Missoni to the striking, Maison Lésage crystal and pearl embroidered stripes used at Chanel, among others.

Micro-trends and the different ways of “carrying” the eyebrows are presented, and the magazine editorials add other aspects to the trend as it develops. With quite radical changes occurring every ten years, the current eyebrows might pave the way back for the fine, concealed and penned-out ones, which have already been seen on a few runways. Every trend needs the appeal of “newness” and with a few more rounds on the large scale, extreme or natural, it wouldn’t be more than expected that someone steps out and takes it back to the minimal.

Lisa Olsson Hjerpe

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07/06/2012

The Greek Fashion Crisis – An Introduction

The Greek Fashion Crisis – An Introduction

We’ve all read the papers, Greece is a country on the verge of a financial breakdown. Naturally the effects on the national fashion industry have been dire and many designers have been forced to shut down their business. In a short article series on Greek Fashion, we will investigate the recession’s effect on fashion through interviews with industry insiders.

Greece was one of the countries that experienced a hard time recuperating from the international financial crisis a few years back. In early 2010 the Greek government was exposed for having had one too many fingers in the budgetary cookie jar. Soon after, Greece and its fashion industry were depending on loans, credits and the goodwill of the struggling couturiers for survival.

Greece as a fashion nation has within the last decade produced a handful of designers who have been influential on an international scale. Among them, Sofia Kokosalaki who designed ceremonial costumes for The Summer Olympic Games in 2004, Angelos Bratis who became Vogue Italia’s “Who Is On Next”-talent in 2011, and an accessory brand Persephoni who have been recognized by magazines such as Vogue.

Tonia Fouseki, head of the organizing committee of AXDW – Athens Xclusive Design Week, believes that the Greek designers need Governmental support in order to overcome, but insists that there is enough talent within the nation to constitute a competitive force on the international fashion scene.

So Tonia, how would you describe Greek fashion? In what ways does the Greek fashion aesthetics differ from let’s say French and Italian Fashion?
Greek fashion is represented by dynamic and creative designers and has already exported great talents abroad that have managed to stand equal to international fashion houses. Some of the characteristics that make Greek Fashion aesthetics different are the rich color palette, the ethereal textiles and lines and the patterns inspired from ancient Greece.

The fashion industry worldwide has exploded during these last ten years, how has the Greek fashion industry progressed?
Greek Fashion industry has been progressing along with international fashion industry, but has not developed that much due to the small size of the local market and the financial difficulties. Another problem that Greek designers face is the lack of governmental mechanisms that can contribute to the transition from a small atelier to a massive production label and to the export of their work abroad.

Does the Greece fashion community mainly consist of traditional fashion houses, or are newcomers given a chance to show their capability?
At this point, many traditional fashion houses are shrinking in the local fashion community, and on the other hand flexible newcomers with new, modern ideas that offer another point of view to fashion by using innovative materials and forms have gained lots of followers in media, buyers and consumers.

What happened to the Greek fashion industry when the economy started to collapse?
The Greek fashion industry was one of the fields of economy that was damaged the most from the financial crisis. The whole industry faced delays in payments, many shops and boutiques closed down and collections still remain unsold. Designers started to restrict their expenses by moving to smaller venues, by producing smaller collections and by cutting off the most of their promotional activity. Also pricelists have been reconsidered due to the new reality.

In what ways does the fashion industry work in times of financial difficulties?
Cash flow reduced greatly and the whole market works with loans and credits. Many Greek designers are trying to work with stores abroad and collection prices have been reduced in order to be competitive. Consumers are more demanding and asking for value-for-money solutions.

What do you think about the future for Greek Fashion?
Although as a country we are facing a deep financial crisis and recession that has affected fashion industry, I think that if the creativity of our designers will be combined with the support of governmental institutions of the fashion field, Greek fashion industry will develop and follow the standards of the international fashion industry. Our organisation, at the international fashion week in Greece aims to continue to offer to Greek designers a platform through which they can showcase in their country and export and promote their work abroad.

Petsy von Köhler – Photo courtesy of AXDW, The Moodit and Luca Sorrentin 

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01/06/2012

Guest Interview n° 41: Tamsin Cook

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Guest Interview n° 41: Tamsin Cook

Design consultant Tamsin Cook was born on a farm in the UK and now lives in Belgium. Other than rummaging through quirky little markets and antique shops in Brussels and Antwerp, her daily routine consists of traveling and scouting for fresh trends in cities such as Paris, London and Amsterdam.

You currently work as Senior Design Consultant, would you care to develop that for us?
I have always worked in-house for companies until last year. Now I am starting out on a freelance basis. This includes designing and trend researching for different customers, it can be on a short or long term contract, depending on the needs of the client.

What is your background in fashion?
Well, I grew up on a farm in Devon, UK. I was always into making my own clothes, styling friends and my brothers. I have a big love for denim and workwear, I believe this came from my roots when growing up. I still like to check out my dad’s work jeans for finishing ideas actually! I studied a BA (Hons) in Fashion at the Surrey Institute of Art and Design just outside of London.

Your job includes scouting for new up-coming trends, how does one go about that, lots of travelling?
It’s an on-going process. Travel is a big part; this can be to city visits around the world to shop, visit stores, exhibitions and photograph people on the street. Visits to trade fairs where the newest developments in fabrics, yarns and prints are exhibited are important. Plus every day research, magazines, blogs, music, festivals, catwalks, art and exhibitions…

Brussels and Antwerp have quirky little flea markets and antique shops; I love to rummage through these on a Sundays. It’s great being so close to a lot of amazing cities as well, I can easily take the train to Paris, Amsterdam or London for the day for some fresh inspiration and people watching.

Is there a special source that often tends to provide trends, for example youth/street culture?
For sure youth, street culture and music are huge influences on fashion. Again, it depends on who you are working for. At Lee, where I worked for 7 years, a large part of the research was vintage denim and finding inspiration from great second hand pieces. I think so many people influence the fashion industry, from the film industry and artists to musicians, bloggers and photographers, the list is endless. The key is to keep your eyes open and not to get stuck with the same sources. I try to find new blogs or emerging artists/music every day. There are endless micro-trends emerging all the time.

How is the trend spotting applied in practice, have you recently for example found something in a vintage shop that later on turned into a design idea for one of the brands you work for?
At Lee when I was working on the kid’s collection, I found some great vintage pieces, like cute little dresses or blouses, we translated these into the collections. I always think you get a better result if you mix eras and ideas. Vintage buttons, trims, vintage denim, all these are huge sources of inspiration for the collections I have worked on. Second hand items are such treasures.

If you pick up a trend in, let’s say, an Asian country, is that one later applied to the Asian market, or do you experiment between the different continents?
That’s an interesting point! In a way it is a big melting pot. Everyone is taking ideas and inspiration from each other. Japan and Asia influences European style and vice versa. But that is great, and that is where you can really make some individual fusions and looks. A lot of Japanese brands have the most amazingly beautiful collections but would not necessarily be commercial to mass market here in Europe, but if tweaked, adapted and personalised you can create some interesting trends.

How do you look at the future of your business, and your own, any dreams waiting to be fulfilled?
People are much more confident and savvy in creating their own style and much more aware of trends than previously with all the social networking and online media available today. The fashion industry is going to have to get smarter, the consumer needs surprising and seducing in new ways. There has been the trend of pop up stores and now home shopping and styling parties are starting to be hip…What’s next, I think the consumer will decide!

For my own future, I like having the freedom of working freelance, I wouldn’t say no to work for a brand again though. I sometimes miss the daily interaction with people and the connection you make with a brand. Right now I have nearly completed my web page for my blog Rue des Bleus. It’ll be my platform for things which inspire me and also where I plan to build on some styling ideas. I’m intrigued by people and their look/style, so I’m hoping to scout some models which I can style for my blog.

Petsy von Köhler – Image courtesy of Tamsin Cook & The Vintage Showroom

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