Fashion Impact: February 2011

Academy Award corpses

What's with all the corpse-like colors at the Academy Awards this year?
All that "pale shimmery" washed out-ness? Blech

Apologies if I accidentally mixed in some other recent red carpet events, I think a few snuck in there.

Updating a Spanish Revival kitchen

It all started with a leaky kitchen window.

Notice the water splashing out of the tupperware.

So we got the windows replaced. Ah, much better on the inside.

But what is all this dry rot discovered outside? What, you say, the kitchen addition was never properly affixed to the side of the house?

You say the kitchen is actually falling off the side of the house, that our subfloor is rotted, the cabinets along the window side are warped and rotted too? And the kitchen is being held up with wood that was not pressure-treated, and so is full of dry rot? And the pier blocks are sinking into the top soil?

Splendid!
We have found ourselves in the midst of an unexpected kitchen renovation.

Back in the 80's, a bump out was added to the kitchen to allow for more light to come in. Alas, the contractors didn't know what they were doing, and 20 years later, we are experiencing the results. Great.

So, the subfloor has to be ripped out and replaced, and damaged cabinets have to be replaced. While we have to endure construction in our home (can we say, goodbye naps for my 9 month old?), I figured, it's the perfect time to make some changes!

That is, if our landlord agrees. As we rent, we don't hold the purse strings, and don't have the final say. But as a designer, my advice does hold some weight, and I'm ready to toss out some ideas. Nothing risked, nothing gained, right?

If this were your quirky Spanish Revival/California 1930's Bungalow kitchen, what would -you- do?

We're talking floors, cabinets, countertops, maybe even layout (within reason). Appliances all stay. Let the fun begin- I can't wait to hear what you dream up!

Robert Mapplethorpe.

Robert Mapplethorpe's work acts as an visual influence on fashion photography today. He originally studied drawing, painting and sculpture before discovering his passion for photography.

Portrait X, Self Portrait, 1978.

His photographs challenged the aesthetic norm in the late 70s by the sitters being socialites, pornographic film stars and members of the S+M underground scene. With his background being in sculpture and the technical aspect of art this influenced his photographs as his images reflected the body as an object not the actual sitter as a person.

It is his De-eroticism of the body that makes his photographs so beautiful and the viewer concentrate on that rather than the content which can be seen by some as 'shocking.' He was well known for his portraits, he had a solo exhibition named 'Portraits,' in the Light Gallery, New York in 1973. His portraits are honest, the sitter's look vulnerable and unstaged.

Untitled, (randy) 1975.

Untitled, c.1973.

There is currently a Robert Mapplethorpe: Retrospective exhibition running from January 22 - March 27 2011 in Postfuhramt, Berlin. The exhibition contains 187 photos that concentrate on the development of his photographic work.

The new gender revoloution

The concept of gender revolution is not a new one Yves Saint Lauren adapted men's tailoring to women's bodies in the infamous 'Le Smoking Woolen Pantsuit,' in 1978. It aided in the liberation of women with the new modern style.

However now in 2011 the concept of gender revolution takes a whole new twist, with the trend of the moment being 'femiman.'

The 19 year old, pre op transgender Andrej Pejic is the model of the moment, signed to Storm modelling agency he is listed to work for both male and female fashion shows.

This season he has worked for Jean Paul Gaultier in the 2011 menswear fashion show in Paris and Gaultier spring/summer 2011 Haute Couture show as the final blushing bride. Which Rhianna then wore at the Grammys.

Also he is the new face for Marc by Marc Jacobs Spring 2011 advertising campaign, photographed by Jeurgen Teller.

His beauty is so exquisite and ethereal it has no consequence to his physical sex. The boundaries of fashion have been blurred. The androgynous look has evolved to the 'femiman' trend and there is no longer a division between male and female just beauty.

Iki aesthetic ideal

When researching Japanese fashion I came across the notion of Iki. It is a widely used Japanese aesthetic ideal it stems from the human act of appreciating the beauty of nature. The cultural anthropologist Kuki Shuzo wrote thesis on Iki, it originated in the late 18th century by the towns people of Edo. The theory of Iki can be applied to fashion but unlike Western fashion it concentrates on simplicity in design as to sustain physical and emotional distance between the opposite sex, but not completely losing it.

Iki fashion is sophisicated, muted colours and minimalistic. It is a mode of self expression but unlike Western fashion it does not aim to bring attention to oneself, Iki prefers the overtone of the experience rather than the experience itself.

The image above named, 'Mikaeri Bijin,' translated the Beauty who looked back is an example of Iki art. The woman is looking over her shoulder as Iki beliefs say that you should not directly stare at your subject as it is an invasion of privacy and doesn't cohere to the Iki belief of discretion.
Iki is becoming more wideknown by the works of Japenese designers, the simplicity of the fashion design and the reserved beauty of the clothes are becoming the new mode of self expression.

Roberto Capucci

I have just discovered Roberto Capucci whilst I was looking into the debate whether fashion can be seen as art. Roberto Capucci is an Italian designer, he works outside the commercial world of fashion by not conforming to the norm and working on avant garde pieces. He hasn't compromised his artistic vision by making clothes for the mass main stream market. His clothes are works of art in their own rights, the complexity of his designs in creating ingeniously constructed outfits.

The Philadelphia Museum of Art are holding an retrospective exhibition of his work named, 'Art into Fashion,' running from 16th March to 5th June 2011. The exhibition will show a collection of 80 Capucci designs with Dilys Blum as curator.

Funky fashion: Desigual

After my post on mauve in fashion, I started thinking more about how the clothes we wear reflect the image we want to project. My taste in clothes has always run more expensive than my budget allows, so my wardrobe has yet to really represent me the way I'd like it to. So I was thrilled when I stumbled upon a brand new clothing brand called Desigual. Well, relatively new to the United States, and certainly new to me!

Here is their newest shop, located in Union Square, a prime shopping district in San Francisco.

Out of Barcelona, Spain, they are known for multi-colored patchwork fabric in the craziest combinations you've ever seen.

Each season the Desigual design team, with about 20 designers, prepares a collection of over 1,000 items, including clothes and accessories, built around a unified concept.

Not the best choices for outfit basics, but great for a few show-stopper pieces.

Say goodbye to that little black number, and hello to a riot of colors and patterns. No one piece is the same. Each garment is produced in parts, every one with its own design, color and fabric, and then assembled in different combinations.

Not sure if I know any guys brave enough to wear these numbers, but it's refreshing to see some color injected into men's wear, regardless.

images source

and of course, little kids can get away with crazy combos like these.

Aren't they great?

Hottest color of the season? Go back 30 years

Want to predict the hottest color of the season? Simply back-track 30 years, and you're likely to run into a color about to make it's grand come-back. Take mauve, for example.

I recently met up with some girlfriends in San Francisco for some much-needed rest and relaxation, prepared to do some serious damage with my credit card. I have to say, my reaction to the fashions being marketed now is "blech!" I wish I had snapped some pictures of the clothing displays to give you a better idea, but alas, I was too busy being disappointed that I couldn't squeeze into skinny jeans.

What I did notice was a resurgence of mauve. "Ack, really?" you might say, recoiling in horror. Yup.

Icky gray, 1980's, Miami Vice, hospital palette, grandma's bad dye job, over-used, guilt by association, pink trying to be purple, mauve.

I wonder what it has been renamed? Dusty Rose perhaps? Pale pink neutral? Blush? Lilac?

It was everywhere. You couldn't get away from it. Mauve, gray, taupe and peach. For those of us who prefer saturated hues, the prevalence of insipid, washed out tones was, well, depressing! (That's not to say that there weren't beautiful rich colors available in other area, like home accessories, etc)

I don't completely dislike the color. I guess it's more that I am amazed how similar the color palettes are out there in the fashion world. As if designers all gather in a room to discuss what limited options they will provide mass consumers for any given season. For once, I would love to see brands breaking away from trends and blaze their own color ways. I rail against color trends in this post from a few years back.

I know it's not breaking news here, but I had to vent to ya'll.

Tracking Hue- monthly banners

I always try to change out my Hue banner every month to reflect the weather outside, a mood, or just a theme I am currently obsessing about. Each banner is created from little snippets of my pet portrait paintings, which were painted with gouache, an opaque watercolor medium, on Bristol vellum paper. Not to worry, the actual paintings are safely with their owners; these are just copied from archived scans.

Getting ready to save February's banner, I realized that this blog is going on 5 years! Can it be? Here's a look back through the years for your enjoyment:

2007