Fashion
Going Beyond Borders With Stella Jean
February 26th, 2013 – Italian-Haitian fashion designer Stella Jean is instinctively going beyond borders with a bold and refined new collection, turning up the heat with prints and colors. Jean got his foot in the fashion door when he started as a model, parading for Egon Von Furstenberg before he realized his true talent of fashion design. The idea of juxtaposing cultural prints is nothing new for the worldly designer, exotic destinations have been the inspiration for Jean in the past. But this collection playfully combines primary colors with all the nuances of the world, in a graceful and charming manner. Hawaiian prints are carefully mix with stripes and polka dots then twisted into a spirited fifties ensemble with chunky accessories. Hats and headdresses are a dominant feature in the collection as vibrant turbines and weaved hats make become a strong accent piece to the exciting garments. Their is an extraordinary richness amongst the garments as zeitgeists and cultures collide.
Chanel Reinvents The Grand Palais
January 28th, 2013 – Couture gowns do not belong on the runway. They belong on the stage. And nobody understands the theatrics of Haute Couture better than Karl Lagerfeld, artistic director and visionary for Chanel, who explained “I saw it in my dream, put it on my paper, gave it to the man that builds my set, and I think he worked it out beautifully.” Lagerfield transformed his dream, into an artistic instrument, which he then used to metamorphose Grand Palais in Paris into a dazzling forest wonderland to display Chanel’s Spring 2013 Haute Couture collection.
Lagerfield has reinvented the runway of the Grand Palais in the past. Once the designer whipped the space into a charming Alice-like tea time feast, another time Lagerfield created an Antarctic wonderland – glacier included. This season, the models walked the sandy runway to the sound of chirping birds, surrounded by a pine scented forest. The towering trees reach up towards the iron, steel, and glass barrel-vaulted roof, giving the entire space an imaginative green house feel.
“This is not a usual runway situation, one after the other, in a kind of military speed.” Lagerfield noted “This was a more romantic catwalk.” The designer used the ground space of the famous Beaux-Arts structure to create a more organic place for the models to walk, instead of the traditional linear catwalk. The set designer connected wood fencing together and wrapped it around the circular runway, which leads to the main amphitheater, where guests have joined to witness the collection. The fencing is a suitable way to enhance the forest aesthetic while creating a separation from the bustling backstage antics and the show’s front-of-house dramatics.
(Photography by Olivier Saillant, Aldo Castoldi and Janice Alida)
Culture Chanel Exhibition, Guangzhou
January 24th, 2013 – Chanel has commissioned Jean-Louis Froment, the art director of Prince Pierre Foundation of Monaco, to curate their latest exhibition at Zaha Hadid’s famed Guangzhou Opera House in China. The creative team at chanel teamed up with Froment to deliver a deep rooted history of founder Coco Chanel, and shed light on her tight knit group of groundbreaking artist friends which included people like Amedeo Modigliani, , Jean Cocteau and Pablo Picasso, all of whom had a massive impact on 20th century art. Titled Culture Chanel, the exhibit is centered around Picasso’s biggest paint job: le train bleu. The expansive stage backdrop was painted in 1924 by Picasso for his close friend Sergei Diaghilev, artistic director of Ballets Russes, who used it for an eponymous choreography. On display are over 400 works, including drawings, photographs, paintings, manuscripts, books and films. To top it off, Chanel’s fashion creations by both the legendary Coco and Chanel’s current designer Karl Lagerfeld, are blended into the art filled exhibition.
(photography By Jonathan Leijonhufvud)
Behind The Seams: Whiskey Tasting
This gallery post is carefully curated by KNSTRCT and sponsored by the Chivas 1801 Club. Available only to members of the Chivas Brotherhood. Join now.
January 23rd, 2013 – Next month KNSTRCT will be heading down to the Lone Star State, joining the Chivas Brotherhood in Houston to experience the art of blending first hand from their expert whiskey makers. The creators at Chivas Regal use time as an instrument in their artwork – 12, 18, and sometimes 25 years of true authentic craft, bottled up into a smooth velvety taste. I don’t think we need to spell it out, but a night of whiskey tasting is a form of art we’re itching to experience first hand. Just as Chivas has paired together delicious elements to cultivate rich tastes, we paired together a deck of stellar pieces to create a dapper ensemble for some whiskey tasting adventures.
Botanical Layers by Masha Reva + SNDCT
January 14th, 2012 – Masha Reva and SYNDICATE of Kiev have mashed up their own mix of botanical paraphernalia and printed the floral arrangements on fine quality sweaters, which are dramatically tailored to be over sized in the shoulder and upper arm area.”The collection juxtapositions immersion in the rapid pace of contemporary life, gadgets and social networks with a yearning for our natural environment, explored as a metaphorical botanical garden of Photoshop layers and loading bars,” Reva explained. Reva and SNDCT’s concept is that people who are living a contemporary lifestyle, are fully immersed in gadgets, but are always searching for nature. This concept manifests itself on the sweater in a layering effect. The grey checks of the base transparency layer in Photoshop reads on one of the sweaters while a floral layer filled with tropical leaves are shown above the transparent layer. The loading bar, printed on the back of the sweater brings the entire idea full circle.
(Photography: Synchrodogs)
Agi & Sam Sends Out Personalize China Invites For Their A/W 2013 Fashion Show
January 4th, 2013 – If you are on the list to witness the Agi & Sam’s AW 2013 collection hit the runway at January 7th’s MAN Show Sponsored by Topman and Fashion East, than you may have received a fragile invite in the mail. The duo took a new approach for their AW 2013 fashion show invites when they sent out personalized plates to all their attendees. The silverlining in each Agi & Sam collection is the strong emphasis on bespoke print and humor, as the two believe that fashion should never be taken too seriously. Perhaps it might just be their cheeky sense of humor that drives them to explore unpaved routes, such as these regal styled china invites; where the faces of Agi and Sam as children are painted in the center. The hand painted plate pays homage to their English roots with imagery of a royal crown, a large crest, and horsemen on a recreational hunt with their hounds.
Agi & Sam’s recent collections have brought back the funk, taking inspiration from the Fresh Prince of Bel Air, but we can’t help but wonder if this traditional English style piece of china is really a hint as to what their new collection will be.
In past collections Agi & Sam mix their humor and print in this colorful Lucha libre print jacket.
(Photography: StyleSavage)
Swimsuits & Sex: Mara Hoffman’s 2013 Resort Collection
December 20th, 2012 - Pattern making cyborg Mara Hoffman has channeled her up beat energy into a high tempo and spirited new resort 2013 swimwear collection. The New York City based print extraordinaire hit the fashion scene near 2006 with series of slinky garments raging with bright colors and bold arrangements. Hoffman’s booming success naturally forced her to flourish her creativity into the launch of a bi-annual swimwear collection which, in this frigid season, is the light at the end of the winter escape to Miami you’re planning. Hoffman says that she draws inspiration from her “personal affinity with world travel, nature, mythology, and magic.” Lucky for us, no need to go searching those sporadic ‘hole in the wall’ swimwear boutiques to get your hands on her fruitful pieces – the designer opened a new online shop this year. Oh – and because we all know how wild those winter breaks can get, Hoffman teamed up with Planned Parenthood to make sure you wrap it up in style! Check out her equally impressive patterned condoms after the review of the collection. Enjoy!
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