fashion

oh my goth \/\/ rick owens f/w 09

March 10, 2009
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oh my goth \/\/ rick owens f/w 09

Remember in 1992 when Marc Jacobs sent all those ripped apart, layered looks down the Perry Ellis runway? The ones that simultaneously spawned nearly a generation of plaid-clad youth and also got MJ fired? Well, back in those days my all black, leather and lace aesthetic was deeply influenced by that grunge runway, and I have recently developed a deep nostalgia for those goth days. Nothing has hit a nerve more deeply than the Rick Owens F/W 09 line.   Whatever I actually looked like in my youth, this is what I was going for. I love the funnel neck leather jacket atop the black satin minidress atop the white cotton minidress atop the ribbed grey leggings with the always exquisite Rick Owens boots. I also love the sparse pale grey and black color palette that dominated his runway. It is my deepest wish that this is the runway that spawns a generation of admirers and teenage copycats. I mean, seriously, what would be cooler than a high school full of kids that look like this?   Photo Credits: fashionologie

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whoa, that was fast.

March 8, 2009
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whoa, that was fast.

the gareth pugh collection video for a/w 09 is extraordinary. it’s dark, it’s got weird wet sound effects, and some of the shirts are nipple-less. who could ask for more? watch it @ show studio the women’s collection is fucking perfect. check it.

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where was i? oh yes, tom binns stole my heart and it took me over a month to recover

January 7, 2009
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where was i? oh yes, tom binns stole my heart and it took me over a month to recover

Tom Binns designs jewelry with trashy class and a little punch of punk rock flash. Maybe you’ve heard already, since his Faux Real line has been making waves all over the fashioniverse for months now. Think rusted junk store relics mixed with precious gems in a haphazardly amazing sort of way.  Chunky pieces like this one are what he’s coming to be known for. Who, praytell, can tell the real from the faux on this one? Binns is probably also the driving force behind the trend of neon metal and gemstones, now appearing at a TopShop near you, and soon to be seen at every mall in America. By the time it gets there, it will probably lack all of the subversive deliciousness of Binn’s over-the-top designs, so maybe you should think about getting in on the ground floor? Personally, I prefer the badassitude of his Tough Chic line, which combines chain and skull motifs with lustrous pearls and rhinestones. A southern girl never goes anywhere without her pearls, especially when they’re strung up with skulls. Unfortunately, I can’t seem to find many of the pieces from Tough Chic anywhere, including eBay, but then again, it would take more than [...]

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The Hood Thong: Avant Gardism at its Most Hilarious

December 10, 2008
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The Hood Thong: Avant Gardism at its Most Hilarious

While the avant guardian is still officially on holiday, I couldn’t resist this little bit of extra-vanguard holiday cheer. Learn more about the Hood Thong.

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Until we resume our regularly scheduled programming…

December 4, 2008
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Please enjoy this interlude courtesy Karl Lagerfeld.

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McQueen for Target: Save the Date

November 21, 2008
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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 [...]

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still life with karen genetta

November 20, 2008
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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.  

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Desira Pesta: Hidden Among The Folds

November 17, 2008
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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

November 12, 2008
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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 [...]

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If you were rich and British, you would look amazing right now.

November 11, 2008
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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. [...]

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