Monthly Archives: November 2008
McQueen for Target: Save the Date
Oh shit. It’s not just true, but there’s a release date. March 1, 2009 will soon come to be known as the day that the British really invaded. Manhattan hipsters will clog the 2 train to Brooklyn for their turn to wait in line. Back bayou countryfolk will stumble haphazardly into studded, gilded, and otherwise McQueenified delights. Will everyone in the US suddenly embrace his raw and rebellious aesthetic? Well, we can’t make any promises, but it does seem likely. Design for All, indeed. McQueen told WWD of his collaboration with the American retailer, “Apart from the East and West Coasts, my company doesn’t have any visibility in the U.S.,” he said. “I always liked the idea of people in the Midwest wearing my clothes. The idea of this upstart from London going where people haven’t heard of me, I think that was interesting to me. I think it’s quite adventurous of Target.” Everything will be priced under $129.99, a bit steep for Boutique Targét, but decidedly low for McQueen. The line utilizes a similar edgy aesthetic as his McQ line, and is inspired by Leila Moss, lead singer of The Duke Spirit, and features tee shirts screened with prints of
still life with karen genetta
Fashion photographer Karen Genetta jerryrigged her first studio in her parent’s basement as a teenager and hasn’t put the camera down since. She describes her style as OCD meets minimalism plus a dash of goth, which seems apt, as her work is still, sculptural, and sometimes a little dark. You can see evidence of her idols in her work: the stark obsessiveness of Guy Bourdin and the provocative daring of Erwin Olaf. The traces of them are there, but what you won’t find is direct imitation. Genetta says, “I reject alot of outside influence, and when it comes to magazines my only and holy subscription is Numéro. I think I’ve developed a style of my own.” Genetta is originally from London, went to school for graphic design in Miami, and now lives and works in New York. You can see her work at www.karengenetta.com.
can’t touch the dutch \/\/ chris berens
Okay, people. Get ready for a shocker. This image is completely low tech. As in not digitally enhanced. As in, it is an actual piece of art on an actual piece of wood and not a pixelated representation as such. You know, except that, here, for our purposes, it’s a jpeg, but I think you get what I’m trying to say. Chris Berens is an artist out of Amsterdam, and he makes these delightful masterworks from ink on film. Each painting is pieced together in 2 to 3 inch sections of film, layered over one another to create one cohesive image. His work is a fully-loaded phantasmagoria of delights replete with 18th century Dutch references. It will be exhibited at Roq la Rue in Seattle in December. You can watch a video interview with Berens below (but it’s a little boring if you aren’t a behind the genius junkie like me), or skip on through to the gallery.
Desira Pesta: Hidden Among The Folds
Tucked away in a far little corner of Red Hook, there is a gem of an atelier. Inside you will find the semi-structured, semi-precious, and completely swoon-worthy fall/winter 08 collection by Desira Pesta. The collection is called Fela Sig., meaning to hide oneself. This tongue-in-cheek witticism is typical of Desira, who is equal parts artist, designer, and pioneer. The line itself is inspired by silent films, architecture, and whatever else falls under her radar. If asked to name a centerpiece of the Fela Sig collection, I would say that her architecture dress fits the bill. The dress is made of a lovely soft white organic cotton, hand silkscreened with print of abstracted buildings by Robert Daurio. Black piping completes every seam. The combination of the high-necked bow and the complex print in another designer’s hands would come off as frumpy, but here the effect is part intelligentsia, part pretty party dress. Desira says of this collaboration with Daurio (who has also made prints for Prada), “Most of my good friends are architects and filmmakers and musicians, so we often collaborate. I often have close ties to the non-fashion influences I utilize. I am a close friend of Robert Daurio’s.
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Rei Kawakubo takes Manhattan
H&M unleashed its latest collaboration on the world on Saturday: Comme des Garçons x H&M. The Harajuku and Ginza stores in Tokyo were the first to receive the line, which dedicated connoisseurs waited in line up to five days for (in the rain, no less). Kawakubo says, “The first reaction from the customers is beyond our expectations. Comme des Garçons’ spirit together with H&M’s commercial sense seems to work very well.” Hmmm. Making genius designs available at reasonable prices sells well? Wow. That Comme des Garçons has a cult following among the, ahem, underclass comes as no surprise to me. I, for one, have been waiting to be able to afford my own Kawakubo since I was a teenager. H&M describes the collection as “very wearable, featuring her deconstructed tailored garments and well-cut classics in special fabrics.” One of the centerpieces of the collection is this ruffled dress jacket. If $450 seems a high price to pay, just keep in mind that a similar piece at CDG would run you well in to the thousands. The collection debuts in America and worldwide TOMORROW, so get in line, people. American Stores carrying the line are listed below. New York Locations: 435 7th
Hermès Smart Car: Luxury Embossed Fuel Efficiency
To commemorate 10 years spent at the Grand Palais, Hermès unveiled its very own smart car. No, not just a stylish automobile, but an actual Smart Car, as in a reasonably priced, fuel efficient teeny weeny auto. Check it: I must backtrack for a moment to admit that “reasonably priced” is a relative term. The average, run-of-the-mill Smart Car costs about 12k, but this here beauty will run you ever so slightly less than 50 large. Which, to be fair, is still eminently more reasonable than this delish croc bomber from their fall/winter 08 catalog. No price is listed, but I asked at the store. $148,000. Not including tax.
If you were rich and British, you would look amazing right now.
On October30th, Christie’s sold off some of the finest fashion fetishes in history at their Resurrection: Avant Garde Fashion auction in Kensington. The highest bid went to this extraordinary Paco Rabanne Aluminum Tunic Dress at 25 grand. Most of the avant gardists represented were old garde: Pierre Cardin, Gaultier, Alaia, Cristobal Balenciaga, Norma Kamali, et al., with nary a word from the 21st century. Okay, there was one, a World’s End mini-crini wired skirt, a black hoop mini with yellow stars, but who cares when there’s this amazingly red circular vinyl cape. Viva la vinyl, indeed. Here we have a truly electrifying objet. Not just some dress the man made before he sold his name to all those luggage companies, but a Pierre Cardin masterpiece circa 1965. Holy space age deliciousness. And for the real tried and true fetishists, there’s nothing less than a gilt leather hood made by Sex for Malcolm McLaren of the New York Dolls. You might recognize its alter ego from the famous ‘Cambridge Rapist’ print. Other delicious take-home delights included an amazing black gauze shroud in two pieces by Rei Kawakubo (which fetched a mere 10k), a Mr.
