Another superbly beautiful collection from Stella. So simple yet totally sophisticated:
she is one talented woman and at this time the only fashion designer that seems understanding everyday fashion.
2009/10/05
the effortless Stella McCartney
Another superbly beautiful collection from Stella. So simple yet totally sophisticated:
she is one talented woman and at this time the only fashion designer that seems understanding everyday fashion.
2009/10/04
How thought this was a good idea?
"Hot pink, orange and flashy, with an overworked heart motif".The reviews for the Lohan collection are in: super cheesy is the word. How can anybody not distinguish between good looks (well sort of) and ability to design clothes?! If Lilo is reckless enough to take this assignment how comes that everybody else seems to be gullible enough to think this will work? Ungaro has reached some weird creative bottom here. What happens when you mix Hollywood shallowness, New Jersey glam aesthetics, and Corporate greed: here it is.
here is the review from Women's Wear Daily :
"Lindsay, it ‘s time to get serious about reviving the acting career. After just one season, one show, Mounir Moufarrige’s Lindsay-plus-one experiment is off to a troubled start. Lindsay Lohan, the house’s “artistic advisor,” and designer Estrella Archs, (who probably got the job in part for her willingness to sketch in Lohan’s shadow, and probably took it for its high-profile heritage) made their joint debut on Sunday in an effort that was, quite simply, an embarrassment.
To be fair, there was something of a “Mean Girls” motif at play; the fashion world, or at least its old-fashioned, traditional arm, greeted the Lohan appointment with endless snickers and rolled eyes. Its members expected, perhaps even hoped, for the proverbial train wreck. And so it came, a collision of fashion, controversial celebrity and massive publicity which resulted in the most frenzied door scene we’ve seen in years, especially at the geezer-venue Carousel du Louvre, as well as a beefed-up photographers pit.
As for the clothes, they looked cheesy and dated, as has often been the case during chez Ungaro’s post-Emanuel revolving door of designers. Hot pink, orange and flashy, with an overworked heart motif relentless in its execution, the collection displayed none of the promised younger side Lohan was supposed to deliver. Nor in a million years would one guess that the lineup was designed by one young woman and “creative directed” by another. Glitter heart pasties all around, ladies?
For Lohan, she’ll weather the criticism, hardly her first or her juiciest, and move on when her contract allows. But Archs has her work cut out for her. Backstage after the show, she said the collection “had to be designed very quickly.” Perhaps that was the problem. This storied house has been in disarray for years, and though Archs’ debut provided no indication that she’s up to the challenge, she should be given the chance to find out without a younger, non-skilled judge with theoretical veto power hovering about. (Let’s just say the ladies’ joint bow didn’t radiate chemistry.)
No one ever said that fashion design is brain surgery. It’s a different discipline altogether. But it is indeed a discipline and a commercial art, a fact variously muted and underscored by the celebrity infiltration of the last decade. And like brain surgery — yes, like brain surgery and all disciplines at which people work for years to develop proficiency — it has its rare geniuses and capable practitioners, all of whom must possess talent, skill and dedication. Being a young, pretty, controversial woman who looks good in clothes and photo ops just isn’t enough."
2009/10/03
clothes, myths and neomedival realities
French vogue editorial
Balmain SS 2010
"The Middle Ages are the civilization of vision, where the cathedral is the great book in stone, and is indeed the advertisement, the TV screen, the mystic comic strip that must narrate and explain everything, the nations of the earth, the arts and crafts, the days of the year, the seasons of sowing and reaping, the mysteries of the faith, the episodes of sacred and profane history, and the lives of the saints (great models of behaviour, as superstars and pop singers are today, an elite without political power, but with great charismatic power)". (81-82)
The underlying identity presented in collections such as Balmain this year expand on ideas of the ever changing neomedival superstar, but all these myths are built and supported by the strong language a postmodern medieval character that feels at home in mega cities and enjoys an exciting night life; a strong woman in times of uncertanty and cultural clashes. Balenciaga, Rick Owens, Ann Demeulemeester, Haider Ackermann, Alexander Wang and now Balmain seem to understand this medieval myth very well.
"
What then is the American, this new man? He is either an European, or the descendant of
an European, hence that strange mixture of blood, which you will find in no other country.
I could point outto you a family whose grandfather was an Englishman, whose wife was Dutch,
whose son married a French woman, and whose present four sons have now four wives of
different nations. He is an American, who leaving behind him all his ancient prejudices
and manners, receives new ones from the new mode of life he has embraced, the new government
he obeys, and the new rank he holds. (54)
Crevecoeur further defines becoming an American as one who has been accepted into the great Alma Mater where "individuals of all nations are melted into a new race of men" (55). Nevertheless, most Americans cannot withdraw from defining themselves with their distinct cultural heritage; i.e. Italian-American, Turkish-American, Irish-American, African-American and so forth. In our neomedieval age, it is becoming more difficult to speak of borders which seem to be dispersing, paving the way for globalization. English as an international language, the ever-increasing use of the internet, a sense of collective insecurity are all indicators of border-dissolution. This, in turn, provokes the urge to search for stability, to search for roots. In the case of the American, an unconscious return to medieval Europe. (7)When Europeans immigrated to the new land, their timeline was severed from Europe only physically. With the Declaration of Independence, America consciously denounced its separation declaring that "these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved" (online). Even though ties with the Crown were politically split, on the spiritual, or unconscious, level there still exists a deep longing for the motherland, a return to medieval England. This might seem as a way of attempting to reconstruct the detached timeline. In other words, even though the umbilical cord was cut, the infant through the unconscious longs to return to the womb. Hence, the phenomenon of adapting the past of the motherland, creating an idealized version, a fantasized version of medieval Europe and portraying it as its own, seems only logical."
Brazil appeal
Brazilian Tayane Leão Wins Supermodel Of The World
14-year-old Tayane Leão, born in the northern state of Pará, beat over 5 million girls from 44 different countries yesterday in Montenegro, and became the new Ford Supermodel of the World. She won a US$ 250,000 two-year contract with Ford Models on top of the R$ 150,000 contract she signed when she won Ford Supermodel Brazil back in November.
Tayane is the second Brazilian to ever win Supermodel of the World. The first one was Camila Finn back in 2004.
2009/10/02
2009/09/30
2009/09/28
nobody on identity
nobody on identity, originally uploaded by Maria Horn.
An excellent scene from deadman, one of my all time favorite movies.
This is only a fragment, Nobody talks about his life marked by a lack of group identity,
excellent stuff.
"This film is generally regarded as being extremely well-researched in regard to Native American culture.[6]
Dead Man is also notable as one of the rather few films about Native Americans to be directed by a non-native and offer nuanced and considerate details of the individual differences between Native American tribes free of common stereotypes.[7] There are intentionally unsubtitled passages in the Cree and Blackfoot language exchanges in Dead Man, which were left untranslated for the exclusive understanding of members of those nations, including several in-jokes aimed at Native American viewers.[6]"
"Gary Farmer makes a cameo appearance as Nobody in Jim Jarmusch's subsequent film Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, in which he repeats one of his signature lines of dialog, "Stupid fucking white man!""
2009/09/26
2009/09/20
RL ressesion style
Interesting approach to this collection; the vernacular of hard times Americana : very romantic.The silhouettes are beautiful, the overkill of denim no so much.
2009/09/17
FEAR LOADING & DIVERSION TACTICS
"if one were to watch Fox News or listen to Rush Limbaugh -- as millions do -- one would believe that the burden of the ordinary American taxpayer, and the unfair plight of America's rich, is that their money is being stolen by the poorest and most powerless sectors of the society. An organization whose constituencies are often-unregistered inner-city minorities, the homeless and the dispossesed is depicted as though it's Goldman Sachs, Blackwater, and Haillburton combined, as though Washington officials are in thrall to those living in poverty rather than those who fund their campaigns. It's not the nice men in the suits doing the stealing but the very people, often minorities or illegal immigrants, with no political or financial power who nonetheless somehow dominate the government and get everything for themselves. The poorer and weaker one is, the more one is demonized in right-wing mythology as all-powerful receipients of ill-gotten gains; conversely, the stronger and more powerful one is, the more one is depicted as an oppressed and put-upon victim (that same dynamic applies to foreign affairs as well).
It's such an obvious falsehood -- so counter-intuitive and irrational -- yet it resonates due to powerful cultural manipulations. Most of all, what's so pernicious about all of this is that the same interests who are stealing, pillaging and wallowing in corruption are scapegoating the poorest and most vulnerable in order to ensure that the victims of their behavior are furious with everyone except for them."
Fragment of a superb article on Salon.com
The article here
Proenza Schouler bright lights
Interesting palette and juxtaposition of textures by Proenza Schouler.
I have not been very impressed by the NYC 2010 SS collections. To much of the same themes: either a hyperfeminine pastely boxy frumpy old lady shape that seems to sell very well, or totally Alexander Wangesque Americana rock nostalgia sometimes taken in to trailer trash sublimation... I do prefer the later.
2009/09/16
capital strength
SOURCE: SALON"Women now control $12 trillion of the overall $18.4 trillion in global consumer spending," and as a predicted 200 million additional females enter the global workforce over the next few years, that number's just going to get bigger"
Who wins when women buy? Everybody
It’s no secret that women have buying power. We already purchase roughly 85 percent of the goods and services in the United States, from clothes to cars. But that’s just been the warm-up.
According to the new book “Women Want More: How to Capture Your Share of the World’s Largest, Fastest-Growing Market” females are on the brink of an even bigger global economic revolution. As we maintain our spending power while gaining representation in the workforce and narrowing the income gap, we are, according to co-author Michael J. Silverstein, “the greatest single force for economic recovery.”
The book, by the Boston Marketing Group’s Silverstein and Kate Sayre, is essentially a guidebook for marketers, but the research that went into it is fascinating to anybody who ever spends money. How powerful are the female purse strings? The authors say that “women now control $12 trillion of the overall $18.4 trillion in global consumer spending.” And as a predicted 200 million additional females enter the global workforce over the next few years, that number is just going to get bigger.
So while we may still have to fight for our right to wear pants and keep our jobs while lactating, it’s easy to do the math on this one. When women have financial clout, our status not just as consumers but human beings on the planet rises.
An August study from Goldman Sachs on “The Power of the Purse” notes that women are “notably more likely to buy goods and services that improve the family’s welfare" (splurging on stuff like "higher-quality and protein-intensive food," healthcare and education), and that having more women in the workforce creates “a virtuous circle” of long-term overall financial growth. It also “underscores the importance of girls’ education and health, and strengthens the case for women to play a meaningful role in local and national politics.” And as Rana Foroohar and Susan H. Greenberg point out in this week’s Newsweek, with economic power comes a whole host of perks for everybody, from improved worldwide literacy rates to lowered population growth. Who said money can’t buy happiness? It just depends on who’s spending.
2009/09/13
2009/09/11
Colorful
Very unique collection of coloration photography, click on the images to go to the collection.
2009/09/03
Shoes, to rule them all
If you are into dominating high profile heads of state or everyday Orks, here are some options brought to you by GIAN MARCO LORENZI -right from the infinite depths of darknesssss.
2009/08/20
2009/08/16
Mullet Man
"The legendary Metallica frontman talks to Tim Noakes about his life, from his dark childhood and 80s excesses, to his worst fashion crimes and ongoing musical competition with Lars and Kirk. Film edited by Michael Oswald."Click in the image to go to the video
2009/08/13
2009/08/12
Nuns
Interesting article about the state of affairs of Nuns in the USA. SOURCE
"Senior figures in the Vatican are concerned that as nuns respond to the changing needs of US society, some have become too liberal.
Recent guidance about the investigation - known as the "apostolic visitation" - reveals questions about whether nuns take part in daily mass, and "the soundness of doctrine held and taught" by them. "
"Traditionalists have long been concerned that some sisters might be flouting Church teaching on sensitive issues such as homosexuality and the ordination of women as priests."
"But many nuns believe the investigation is intended to rein them in, while others warn that a male hierarchy wants to regain control of them as women and as a free workforce.
There could be consequences for those who disappoint the Vatican. "
My thoughts: FUCK THE VATICAN!
2009/08/10
Night and Day
Influence of Schopenhauer on Tristan und Isolde
Wagner's friend, Georg Herwegh, introduced him in late 1854 to the work of the philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer.[15] The composer was immediately struck by the philosophical ideas to be found in “Die Welt als Wille und Vorstellung” (The World as Will and Representation), and the similarities between the two men's world-views became clear.[citation needed]
Man, according to Schopenhauer, is driven by continued, unachievable desires, and the gulf between our desires and the possibility of achieving them leads to misery while the world is a representation of an unknowable reality. Our representation of the world (which is false) is Phenomenon, while the unknowable reality is Noumenon: concepts originally posited by Kant. Schopenhauer’s influence on Tristan und Isolde is most evident in the second and third acts. The second act, in which the lovers meet, and the third act, during which Tristan longs for release from the passions that torment him, have often proved puzzling to opera-goers unfamiliar with Schopenhauer’s work. Wagner uses the metaphor of day and night in the second act to designate the realms inhabited by Tristan and Isolde.
The world of Day is one in which the lovers are bound by the dictates of King Marke’s court and in which the lovers must smother their mutual love and pretend as if they do not care for each other: it is a realm of falsehood and unreality.Under the dictates of the realm of Day, Tristan was forced to remove Isolde from Ireland and to marry her to his Uncle Marke -- actions against Tristan's secret desires. The realm of Night, in contrast, is the representation of intrinsic reality, in which the lovers can be together and their desires can be openly expressed and reach fulfilment: it is the realm of oneness, truth and reality and can only be achieved fully upon the deaths of the lovers. The realm of Night, therefore, becomes also the realm of death: the only world in which Tristan and Isolde can be as one forever, and it is this realm that Tristan speaks of at the end of Act Two (“Dem Land das Tristan meint, der Sonne Licht nicht scheint”).[17] In Act Three, Tristan rages against the daylight and frequently cries out for release from his desires (Sehnen). In this way, Wagner implicitly equates the realm of Day with Schopenhauer’s concept of Phenomenon and the realm of Night with Schopenhauer’s concept of Noumenon.[18] While none of this is explicitly stated in the libretto, Tristan’s comments on Day and Night in Acts 2 and 3 make it very clear that this was, in fact, Wagner’s intention.
The world-view of Schopenhauer dictates that the only way for man to achieve inner peace is to renounce his desires: a theme that Wagner explored fully in his last opera, Parsifal. In fact Wagner even considered having the character of Parsifal meet Tristan during his sufferings in Act 3, but later rejected the idea.[19]
Reactions to Tristan und Isolde
Although Tristan und Isolde is performed in major opera houses around the world presently, critical opinion of the opera was initially unfavourable. The 5 July 1865 edition of the Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung reported: "Not to mince words, it is the glorification of sensual pleasure, tricked out with every titillating device, it is unremitting materialism, according to which human beings have no higher destiny than, after living the life of turtle doves, ‘to vanish in sweet odours, like a breath'. In the service of this end, music has been enslaved to the word; the most ideal of the Muses has been made to grind the colours for indecent paintings... (Wagner) makes sensuality itself the true subject of his drama.... We think that the stage presentation of the poem Tristan und Isolde amounts to an act of indecency. Wagner does not show us the life of heroes of Nordic sagas which would edify and strengthen the spirit of his German audiences. What he does present is the ruination of the life of heroes through sensuality."
Click the image for a link to an audio file analyzing the sensual aspect of this Opera (real player recommended)
2009/08/09
Gender bending Coco
This movie depicts the process of finding her inner voice. The early years of her creative talent.
The documentary below shows a very well established Coco, defending her creative choices and identity.
And now Legerfeld calls the shots, standing on the shoulders of original talent... I prefer the female genius, less mockery.
The documentary below shows a very well established Coco, defending her creative choices and identity.
And now Legerfeld calls the shots, standing on the shoulders of original talent... I prefer the female genius, less mockery.
2009/08/08
2009/08/06
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- MARIA H
- Compilation of aesthetic manifestations beyond compliance, bring us emancipation.