29/03/2012

Peter Movrin – A Modern Take On Medieval Times

Peter Movrin – A Modern Take On Medieval Times

Slovenia might not be one of the most noted fashion countries to date, but it’s nonetheless home to Peter Movrin, the young avant-garde designer who has won countless awards in the motherland for his design and styling abilities. After having finished his studies in textile technology at University of Ljubljana in 2011, and having been awarded “the prize for special achievements” by his university, he was announced by Slovenian Elle as “the most promising young stylist with strong vision”. His latest collection “Franz Madonna” is heavily inspired by the medieval gothic era’s heydays. The art, the architecture and the religious beliefs of the time were all cultural factors taken into account during Movrins’ creative process.

”The collection is about the gothic era, Christianity and people’s humility,” Movrin explains. “All the architecture, paintings and statues were strongly marked by religion. I combined an investigation of the era and people’s characters with one of the eastern world and its Islam belief. Covered faces and the curiosity about what is hidden underneath of all the dark material makes us pay attention to the body movement.” The main part of the domestically produced collection consists of laser cut leather pieces, however, the sharp edges and bulky silhouettes have been juxtaposed with lighter materials such as lace to obtain a more sensuous edge. Crocheted mask and embroidered details adds a romanticist element, along with the silk underskirts.“ The collection has actually been quite well received.

“Franc’Pairon from Institut Français de la Mode said that he liked the collection, but a few people here in Slovenia were kind of frightened I think. The young generation is more impressed by the story behind it, but a little afraid of the actual clothes. But I like the fact that some people get scared of those wearing my clothes,“ he told us. Peter is currently working on expanding his own brand, but says that he wouldn’t mind working for an already established fashion house one day, and if we are to take him at his words, Slovenia is a fashion nation under development to keep an eye on.

“Since we don’t really have any real fashion critics and journalist with real knowledge of fashion, people in general don’t know that much about it. But we have some amazing designers, such as Nataša Peršuh who worked for Kenzo, and Nataša Čegalj who’s working for Stella McCartney, and not to forget artist Marina Abramovići. We have many fashion talents yet to be discovered…”


Petsy von Köhler & Peter Movrin

Share: Facebook,  Twitter  
28/03/2012

The Talented – Thomas Tait

The Talented – Thomas Tait

You know his name. You know he’s the youngest graduate ever from the MA Fashion Design course at Central Saint Martins and you probably know that the Montréal-native Londoner Thomas Tait received the Dorchester Fashion Prize back in 2010. And you most definitely know that he’s one of the top must-see-designers showing during London Fashion Week.

Tait wasn’t raised in the midst of fashion, nor did he find his calling precociously. But he was never content with the looks surrounding him, neither those on the streets nor those in the vintage shops in downtown Montreal. So he set to work. And once firmly on the fashion path, he earned a technical design diploma at La Salle College and then found his way onto the London scene. And it’s a scene he seems to have mastered since he was one of very few CSM graduates chosen to debut during London Fashion Week 2010.

Being involved in every part of the creative process, from designing to pattern construction and sewing the pieces together, Thomas Tait has gone from sharp cuts and all black, to whites and pastels matched with trainers for spring, to a Fall 2012 collection presenting wardrobe classics in scenic moss greens, dark navy and mustard colored leather.

But make no mistake: though the coats and jackets may have classical names, their shapes and cuts are as technically complex and worked over as ever. Curvilinear silhouettes and well defined shapes with low-cut or folded up high collars join to form a collection where the Tait’s aesthetics were well incorporated with aspects of wearability, an aspect that the designer at times have been criticized for when creating ‘too’ much of a structured figure.

Only three collections in, he seems to be working his way towards something that can balance his initially angular nature of silhouettes (starting from a fascination with shoulder blades and pelvic bones) with something that will fit the female body beautifully at the end of the day.

He is still young, and according to what he says, not yet ready to be categorized as a proponent of a certain aesthetic as far as the word “minimalist” is concerned. Clean collections with technical complexity behind them are reasonable to expect, but the Thomas Tait woman will surely continue to develop alongside his progress as a designer. And whether you yourself partake in London fashion scene or not, Thomas Tait is most assuredly a name you will come across again.

 

Lisa Olsson Hjerpe & pictures courtesy of style.com  

Share: Facebook,  Twitter  
26/03/2012

Sean Frank – McQ behind the scene A/W 2012

Sean Frank – McQ behind the scene A/W 2012

Everyone remembers the mystery of the dried leaves at McQ’s breathtaking Fall 2012 show in London last month. And while we’re still not sure how they managed to fill the room with real autumn leaves in February, we’ve at least been given another look behind the scenes to see first-hand some of the other magic of the event in Sean Frank’s just-released backstage video. It captures perfectly the dark, ethereal energy of Sarah Burton’s larger McQueen universe.

Against a backdrop of a constantly crescendoing John Gosling track, Guido Palau’s otherworldly hairstyles steal the show. Quick flashes of intricately detailed pieces from the collection mix in chiaroscuro with models, makeup and, of course, those brilliant leaves on the runway. The end result is a sweeping narrative that gives perhaps the most visceral impression yet of the collection’s story.

Watch twice for the full effect – you’ll catch some of the more subversive details the second time around. Fantastic work.



Tag Christof

Share: Facebook,  Twitter  
12/03/2012

Guest Interview n° 37: Alexandra Verschueren

Guest Interview n° 37: Alexandra Verschueren

Born in Antwerp, Belgium, designer Alexandra Verschueren rose to prominence when being awarded Le Grand Prix at Festival d’Hyères in 2010 for her innovative Medium-collection featuring garments of felted and starched wool treated to look like paper. Today, Alexandra’s work is less conceptual but more thought-provoking than ever.

You grew up in the city of The Antwerp Six and many other influential designers, how has that heritage affected you and your work?
I started to be aware of it when I was 12 years old, in the 90’s, and 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.

When you studied craftsmanship at The Royal Academy of Fine Arts, did the Belgian design tradition have a great influence over your education?
Walter Van Beirendonck (The Antwerp Six) was actually one of my teachers in the third year. But we were never allowed to look at other designers in that school, you never ever reference another designer. You’re supposed to find your own voice. In my final year I was working with paper and I had this idea to push garments flat, but my pattern-making teacher just said “Margiela has already done that”.

You were awarded Le Grand Prix at the Hyères festival in 2010, that must have been quite an experience.
I’ll never forget that. I graduated in 2009, and I went to New York to work for Derek Lam and Proenza Schouler, but the transition from being in the school’s artistic bubble to being in the commercial reality of fashion in New York was hard, so for me Hyères made the transition smoother. It opened so many doors; suddenly everyone knows your name, even if it’s hard to pronounce (laughs). I even got two letters from the French minister of culture.

And what happened afterwards?
I realized that my moment had come; it was the perfect timing to start the label. I still don’t feel completely ready, that’s why I do such small low-key collections. Many people think my work is simpler now, but there’s a more focused idea behind it. It’s about learning how to make a garment people will feel beautiful in. Very often fashion is all about image, making an impression. My collections are not about making disposable images, but to learn how to build a lasting one.

It sounds like you have a profound respect for the actual craftsmanship.
Yes, I just want to take my time, and show my respect for the métier. We once had a workshop with Dries Van Noten. He told us that his grandfather had this shop where he turned suits inside out for people. When they were worn out, he just turned them, rebuilt them, and they were like new again. That struck me as something that’s now fading away, but for me it’s very important to understand how a garment is constructed.

How has your working technique evolved since you began designing?
The trial process has become important, sometimes I just change a whole garment. Some I’ve redone like 5 or 6 times. I used to be very stuck with ideas of how I wanted it; I thought I was very consequent. Before it was more about the concept, since no one would actually wear the garment anyway. But when I started making wearable clothing I became more free. Now when something’s not working, I try to solve it. It’s more about the process.

How would you describe your current idiom and design?
I’m 24, so there’s still a lot to learn and I’m still figuring things out. The quality is very important for me. The sweatshirt fabric I used for my current collection is made with a machine that goes 10 times slower than a mass-production one, there’s no tension on the thread so the shirt stays softer for a much longer time. I like boyish things. In school when I was drawing collections people used to say, “Oh, you’re making a men’s collection…”

What’s behind your universe, what inspires you to create?
Words sometimes inspire me, maybe because my parents are linguists. The last collection was called “Shift”. For me, it was a very important word at the time, because it was about a transition, and I had a lot of overlapping details in my clothes. So it was about overlapping and shifting from one thing to another and evolving. I can be inspired by a detail I see on a garment, but never by a designer.

What are your goals for the near future?
I hope I can expand the collection, to sell enough to survive. If a job opportunity appeared, I wouldn’t turn it down. I just want to be able to have a nice presentation of my clothes, and I’d be happy to see more people wearing them. I’d love to be based in Paris. I love New York as well, but I’m too European to live in The States, I feel too unpolished.

Petsy von Köhler – Photos Fred Aufray

Share: Facebook,  Twitter  
02/03/2012

Tung Walsh / POP

Tung Walsh / POP

We were more than happy to see the newest spring/summer issue of POP magazine on the shelf of the bookstore, and indeed one copy of the fresh number landed in our office on a sunny spring morning.

The bi-annual POP’s number 26 is strongly present with its fashion editorials. Not a single editorial leaves you empty-handed, and the issue responds to various kinds of eyes for aesthetics with shoots from Emma Summerton, Tyrone Lebon, Hugo Tillman, Colin Dodgson, Danielle Levitt, Jamie Morgan, Viviane Sassen, Daniel Sannwald, Mel Bles, Mark Borthwick, Robi Rodriguez, Anthony Mayle, Max Farago and 2DM’s own Tung Walsh.

“POP Chinatown: New York” features Tung Walsh’s adventure with the model Maryna Linchuk from home to the Tom Sachs show “WORK” at Sperone Westwater gallery. The journey took them also around Chinatown’s streets and shops, mixing the Asian scenery with the gossamer clothing from Diesel Black Gold, Alexander Wang, Donna Karan, Marc Jacobs, The Row, Rag&Bone, Calvin Klein, G-star, Proenza Schouler, Michael Kors, Ralph Lauren and Altuzarra. The shoot is styled by Sara Moonves, hairstyling is by Tamara McNaughton, and the make-up by Ozzy Salvatierra.

Nora Stenman

Share: Facebook,  Twitter  
01/03/2012

The Change Of Luxury

The Change Of Luxury

Gold, champagne and a recognized logotype on the inside of a handbag or craftsmanship, primary materials and history – luxury means different things to different people, and the view on luxury brands have changed over time as well. While big logotypes in shining metal on your bag, sunglasses or loafers mediated timeless style, success and the power of spending during the 90’s, the view on luxury have become subtler today. It is no longer only a high price that conveys status; time and knowledge are becoming as valuable, in particular among consumers, and brands can no longer depend on people’s wish to extend their self-image through an expensive logotype. “Gucci Gucci, Louis Louis, Fendi Fendi, Prada, the basic bitches wear that shit so I don’t even bother” might just be a line in a rap song, or it might give a hint of where the luxury market been heading. People are looking for something that makes them unique and stand out of the crowd and even though words such as inaccessible, limited and second to none are continuous leading stars, the necessity for it to be expensive isn’t as important anymore and customers might just turn to other markets to find what they’re looking for.

So how are traditional luxury brands supposed to react to the changes in the view of their segment? Some of them operate in their natural environments, presenting skillful craftsmen in their stores, creating something genuine and push for heritage, history and quality. Some of them have turned to social media to help tell their story and some of them make the two worlds blend perfectly. The digital world that a few years back was discussed as something that would kill luxury through making it accessible for everyone, is what today might save them. Brands are discussing strategies for how they can become within reach for more people while retaining a high quality, discussing how they can be accessible but exclusive. Some of them trust customers to choose them because they deliver what they always done; prestigeless quality that is available for a slightly higher price while others focus on overtop the expectations of the luxury consumer, at every level. What they have in common is that the majority of them mention their genuine history as the foundation of their branding strategies for the future.

Most of the brands embraced the power of Facebook, Twitter and every other social media channel matching their target. Market researches show that high income earners, as well as the “regular” shopper, go online to see new products or learn more about a brand whether they in the end shop online or in a store, another reason to why it has been crucial for the luxury market to go digital. This pressure to be present online has though in many cases instead led to low quality content and a chase of likes and followers, resulting in a watered down message where the digital image of the brand doesn’t match the high end image conveyed through printed ads. Experts says that the solution is to make brands live their luxe life virtually as well as in reality, something that today is fully possible with technology that helps create real, customized digital content. Quick-made and poorly presented backstage videos or presentations just for the sake of it are no longer going to do it if you’re aiming at the self-centered and selective quality consumer. So which is the right way to go, the smartest line of attack?

Undoubtedly there is more than one answer to that question and luxury marketing have probably never been more complex than it is at present, but in many ways it has also never been as challenging and interesting as it is today.

Lisa Olsson Hjerpe

Share: Facebook,  Twitter  
29/02/2012

The Editorial: Fifteen Too Many

The Editorial: Fifteen Too Many

Fashion has always been about gloriously enormous vision (and equally enormous ego), but once-upon-a-time it was a space populated by a cohesive and rarefied coterie of tastemakers and savants: breakout models, prodigy designers, inspired photographers and critics who had spent entire careers carving out distinctive editorial voices and nuanced, well-informed tastes. It has always been a circus, but it was a fascinating one filled with strong, smart voices. But now, fashion’s periphery is a lifestyle, overrun by countless self-proclaimed style mavens, pandering PRs, and countless other hangers-on. Bewildering narcissism abounds. Everyone wants a fifteen-minute piece of the Warholian fame pie, and they’re selling slices for cheap nowadays. Limit one per customer.

These fashion victims and prima donnas and party kids tromp around in improbable outfits sipping Clicquot and feigning fabulousness, less interested in the serious rigor of fashion than in flashiness and fame for its own sake. And while they’re nice enough as a sideshow spectacle, their feelings of entitlement are troubling, if understandable in a culture perpetually entranced by celebrity, no matter its source.

Tweet. Namedrop. Sip champagne. Repeat.


The fashion weeks themselves have multiplied, popping up everywhere from Buenos Aires to Bombay to Bangkok. More platforms for more fifteen minutes. And while it’s certainly a good thing that the world of style shall no longer be lorded over by an oligarchy on the Milan-Paris-New York axis, it is at risk of fracturing irreparably. That style axis at least held the arguments together gracefully and lent the fashion system a solid MO. But the cacophony of voices each self-servingly shrieking for attention is progressively drowning out the overarching narrative that gives fashion its credibility. And ladies and gentleman, without that all-important, well-recited narrative, all we’re left with are showy, impractical clothes: a sparkly runway and legions of wannabe Anna Wintours do not a fashion system make.

In this context, brands under pressure to out-manoeuvre Zara and others have taken the path of least resistance and dished out equity to those hangers on. And their predictable fifteen-minute attention spans have led to the implementation of lightning-quick collection changes that have, in turn, engendered lightning-quick caprices of preference. The mix-and-match zeitgeist veers wildly back and forth without much reason as look-at-me cool hunters and myopic bloggers convince labels that deco and jazz are cool. No, wait, punk. No, wait, fifties. No, wait, Italy. No, wait, military! (Does anyone bother to ask why anymore?… Shut up. Just grin and try to look fabulous.) These weak stylistic trends have led to diluted product lines and way too many garish, even hideous collections that will almost certainly age badly. We can look back at the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s with relative certainty about their style evolutions and what they meant in the context of politics and sociology and society. What will posterity look back on and see in this decade? A capricious, schizophrenic mess? Well… I don’t really remember because all the bloggers that told me so aren’t cool anymore…


For fashion’s own sake, it is unfortunate that it has become the platform par excellence for those desperately seeking an easy fifteen minutes. Maybe it’s just easier to fake it here. But there is so much substance behind those doing the real, hard work of envisioning and executing fashion’s advance that a focus on these narcissistic sideshows is to miss the point entirely. Funny thing is, the toilers who really do make it all happen often work in silence. Their work is their reward, fashion truly is their passion (excuse the lame but inevitable alliteration), and when they do achieve fame it’s for exceptional work. Not desperate screams for attention.

In the meantime, if fame is your aim, excellent. Get to work. Really. A half-hour. A day. A week. Maybe even a lifetime of celebrity might just be waiting. But if you’re in it for the fifteen, stop screaming already. We’ve already forgotten you.

Tag Christof – Images by Cecil Beaton

Share: Facebook,  Twitter  
23/02/2012

4 Questions To – Andrea Pompilio

4 Questions To – Andrea Pompilio

We met Andrea Pompilio, the forward-looking fashion designer who – after having worked for Prada, YSL and Calvin Klein – founded his new independent line called “A”. We asked four well-chosen questions to this one of the most creative talents of the Italian fashion panorama, who is able to mix traditional textiles, style and tailoring along with “crazy” colours and shapes.

With an open and friendly chat, we entered the vibrant world of Pompilio, which came forward first during the designer’s childhood: “When I was very very young my grandmother had a couple of boutiques in Pesaro and I used to spend most of my time there, playing among clothes and fabrics with my cousins. I loved that, and since I was 8 years old it was clear for me that I wanted to be a fashion designer”.

Interview Monica Lombardi – Video Renzo O. Angelillo

Share: Facebook,  Twitter  
20/02/2012

How To Pack For F/W

How To Pack For F/W

The hoopla and fanfare of the fashion weeks is just about to kick off the frenzy for another new season. As a special treat to mark the occasion, online editor of French fashion bible Purple, Paula Goldstein, is joining The Blogazine crew to share some inside views from the world of fashion. First up, she shares some primo trade secrets for packing smartly for the streets, runway sidelines and shindigs in style.

F/W’s twice-a-year traveling circus means for those working in it a time of excitement, lack of sleep, lack of food and lack of time to do and see it all. And it’s almost upon us once again. Packing for a month of being photographed and looked at, partying and being judged on chicness whilst hungover is a stressful process, and has many pitfalls. I decided to ask some friends of mine who are experts in it – and impart a little of my own advice too – on how to pack for F/W’s. Which of course rings true also to any traveling situation, just with slightly more dramatic extremes.

My number one tip, “never pack drunk,” should always be taken seriously, or you will surely live to regret it. I once packed for a trip with one of my best friends, and we may have accidentally drunk two bottles of wine, dressed up in everything I owned, tried to fit ourselves into the suitcase like contortionists, and had an impromptu photo-shoot. This was truly wonderful until I arrived in Paris for 5 nights on a freezing February morning to discover I had packed 4 bikinis, gold Ashish wedges I have never been able to walk in, a feather boa and a purple felt hat. And not much else.

My darling friend, a successful model Ben Grimes imparts her packing advice: “I’ve found that the best method of packing for fashion week is to pack 3 bags. One for NY, one for Milan and one for Paris. I don’t pack a bag for London as the bulk of my clothes are there. I also pack a pair of flats for each pair of heels, and make sure I have comfort clothes for when I’m not on show. Also, always scour your hotel room for missing shoes; every season I come back with an incomplete pair after repacking in a rush!“

Photographer and ex-model Candice Lake shares her tips: “After 13 years of virtually living out of a suitcase, I am still a horrendous packer! I pack too much and only ever wear half of the pieces I pack. I have however come up with a few fail safe ways to avoid the excess baggage costs:

1) Buy yourself mini tubes and bottles for pretty much every cosmetic product you use. There is no point on lugging your one litre value pack shampoo across the world. I get my favourite brand to send me all my favourite products in mini sizes and I always ask the hairdresser for mini sized shampoos. This cuts down the weight and the space in your luggage… leaving more room for clothes.

2)Plan your outfits. This is something I never do. I am actually flying to NY for the fashion week tomorrow and I haven’t yet packed or planned any outfits. This is silly, as I will inevitably take 7 pairs of shoes, of which I will only wear 3, and way too many coats and inappropriate dresses. I’d say to plan your outfits around your key pieces and don’t get tempted to pack every dress you own.

3) Always wear something incredibly warm on the plane. I never leave to the airport without my cashmere wrap and my Givenchy leather/alpaca jacket, which is so warm and comfortable, I could wear it to bed.

4) Never forget to take power converters.

Another friend who knows well the importance of packing, is Kerry McKenna, Charlotte Olympia’s right hand girl. She explains how there’s a shoe for every occasion in her collection: “For me fashion week kicks of with a flight to NY. A pair of flats act as my comfortable airport shoes. For long NY days of shows and sales appointments I wear my most comfortable classic high heels, so I opt for my sexy red satin Charlotte Olympia Paloma’s. Back in London I usually choose comfortable boots to save my feet for the fashion shows and the general running around. “

Paula Goldstein – Images courtesy of Adolf Conrad & ThingsOrganizedNeatly.tumblr.com

Share: Facebook,  Twitter  
15/02/2012

Fashion Bloggers: Love Them Or Hate them

Fashion Bloggers: Love Them Or Hate them

We’re in the midst of fashion’s most manic moment: the fashion weeks. Models, celebrities, photographers, editors, buyers and everyone else with an invite, are running from show to show, from front row to front row. And so we have the fashion bloggers, the latest conscripts to the “front row mafia”. Olivier Zahm, editor-in-chief of Purple, made waves on a YouTube video in 2010 by openly expressing his aversion towards fashion bloggers. The same year, world-renowned purveyor of fashion Luisa Via Roma organized Firenze4ever, the first fashion blogger event ever. So whether you hate them or you love them, you have to admit that fashion bloggers have gained traction over the past few years and are an integral part of the industry today. But how have fashion bloggers actually changed the industry, and exactly what is it that made them earn this power? And what does this newly acquired position of fashion bloggers do for the future of fashion business?

The fact that we live in a digital world has most likely helped the rise of the bloggers; they market themselves on a platform where today’s generation is more present than ever. The CEO of Luisa Via Roma said in an interview that “they all speak the same language; they speak the language of fashion and they speak the language of Internet.” Still, there must be a more understandable reason for the almost revolutionary change that has occurred, beside the bloggers’ mere interest in media and fashion. A moment that possibly boosted their status in the industry the most was when Dolce & Gabbana in September 2009 placed four fashion bloggers and street style photographers on the front row together with well recognized and celebrated people of the international press and the fashion industry. It lies in the nature of this industry to be trend sensitive and forward-looking, and perhaps all that was needed was for someone to dare to take the step and open up for something unfamiliar, to make the rest of the industry follow.

There are surely several positive aspects on what the business is experiencing, and the fashion bloggers can possibly function both as a boost for PR as well as “real” workforce for the industry. The question that lies ahead, though, is what the effect will be in the long run, and the topic has indeed been well discussed, written and, yes, even blogged about over and over the last few seasons. If fashion bloggers are the voices of the future, will already acknowledged industry people lose power and have less of a say? Or is it possible to find a balance where the fashion bloggers occupy a sweet spot? With mass digitalization and an ascendant social media trend, we believe that the fashion industry is looking towards an rich, rich future, and that this blogger “phenomenon” is just the tip of the iceberg.

Lisa Olsson Hjerpe – Video Courtesy of Neulandherzer.com.

Share: Facebook,  Twitter  
Next Page » « Previous Page